Luke 1
1 As a number of attempts have been made to put together in order an account of those events which took place among us,
Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled amongst us,
2 As they were handed down to us by those who saw them from the first and were preachers of the word,
even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,
3 It seemed good to me, having made observation, with great care, of the direction of events in their order, to put the facts in writing for you, most noble Theophilus;
it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;
4 So that you might have certain knowledge of those things about which you were given teaching.
that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judaea, there was a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the order of Abijah; and he had a wife of the family of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 They were upright in the eyes of God, keeping all the rules and orders of God, and doing no wrong.
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 And they were without children, because Elisabeth had never given birth, and they were at that time very old.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8 Now it came about that in his turn he was acting as priest before God,
Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division
9 And as was the way of the priests, he had to go into the Temple to see to the burning of perfumes.
according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And all the people were offering prayers outside, at the time of the burning of perfumes.
The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 And he saw an angel of the Lord in his place on the right side of the altar.
An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear came on him.
Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said, Have no fear, Zacharias, for your prayer has come to the ears of God, and your wife Elisabeth will have a son, and his name will be John.
But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 And you will be glad and have great delight; and numbers of people will have joy at his birth.
You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the eyes of the Lord; he will not take wine or strong drink; and he will be full of the Spirit of God from his birth.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
16 And through him great numbers of the children of Israel will be turned to the Lord their God.
He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, turning the hearts of fathers to their children, and wrongdoers to the way of righteousness; to make ready a people whose hearts have been turned to the Lord.
He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, How may I be certain of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far on in years.
Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 And the angel, answering, said, I am Gabriel, whose place is before God; I have been sent to say these words to you and to give you this good news.
The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 Now, see, you will be without voice or language till the day when these things come about, because you had not faith in my words, which will have effect at the right time.
Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias and were surprised because he was in the Temple for such a long time.
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled that he delayed in the temple.
22 And when he came out he was not able to say anything, and they saw that he had seen a vision in the Temple; and he was making signs to them without words.
When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
23 And when the days of his work in the Temple were ended, he went back to his house.
When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
24 After that time, Elisabeth, being certain that she was to become a mother, kept herself from men's eyes for five months, saying,
After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 The Lord has done this to me, for his eyes were on me, to take away my shame in the eyes of men.
“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach amongst men.”
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee, named Nazareth,
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin who was to be married to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in to her and said, Peace be with you, to whom special grace has been given; the Lord is with you.
Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favoured one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you amongst women!”
29 But she was greatly troubled at his words, and said to herself, What may be the purpose of these words?
But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
30 And the angel said to her, Have no fear, Mary, for you have God's approval.
The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
31 And see, you will give birth to a son, and his name will be Jesus.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’
32 He will be great, and will be named the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God will give him the kingdom of David, his father:
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33 He will have rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. (aiōn g165)
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” (aiōn g165)
34 And Mary said to the angel, How may this be, because I have had no knowledge of a man?
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel in answer said to her, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will come to rest on you, and so that which will come to birth will be named holy, Son of God.
The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
36 Even now Elisabeth, who is of your family, is to be a mother, though she is old: and this is the sixth month with her who was without children.
Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37 For there is nothing which God is not able to do.
For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
38 And Mary said: I am the servant of the Lord; may it be to me as you say. And the angel went away.
Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
39 Then Mary got up and went quickly into the high lands, to a town of Judah;
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
40 And went into the house of Zacharias and took Elisabeth in her arms.
and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And when the voice of Mary came to the ears of Elisabeth, the baby made a sudden move inside her; then Elisabeth was full of the Holy Spirit,
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 And she said with a loud voice: May blessing be on you among women, and a blessing on the child of your body.
She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
Why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, truly, when the sound of your voice came to my ears, the baby in my body made a sudden move for joy.
For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy!
45 Happy will she be who had faith that the things which the Lord has said to her will be done.
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
46 And Mary said: My soul gives glory to God;
Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 My spirit is glad in God my Saviour.
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour,
48 For he has had pity on his servant, though she is poor and lowly placed: and from this hour will all generations give witness to the blessing which has come to me.
for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49 For he who is strong has done great things for me; and holy is his name.
For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for all generations in whom is the fear of him.
His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
51 With his arm he has done acts of power; he has put to flight those who have pride in their hearts.
He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down kings from their seats, lifting up on high the men of low degree.
He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
53 Those who had no food he made full of good things; the men of wealth he sent away with nothing in their hands;
He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
54 His help he has given to Israel, his servant, so that he might keep in mind his mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever,
He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.” (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary was with her for about three months and then went back to her house.
Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
57 Now it was time for Elisabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.
58 And it came to the ears of her neighbours and relations that the Lord had been very good to her, and they took part in her joy.
Her neighbours and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;
On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60 But his mother made answer and said, No, his name is John.
His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
61 And they said, Not one of your relations has that name.
They said to her, “There is no one amongst your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 And they made signs to his father, to say what name was to be given to him.
They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 And he sent for writing materials and put down: His name is John; and they were all surprised.
He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marvelled.
64 And straight away his mouth was open and his tongue was free and he gave praise to God.
His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 And fear came on all those who were living round about them: and there was much talk about all these things in all the hill-country of Judaea.
Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 And all who had word of them kept them in their minds and said, What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:
His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
68 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and made them free,
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
69 Lifting up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), (aiōn g165)
71 Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us;
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word,
to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
73 The oath which he made to Abraham, our father,
the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
74 That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,
to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
75 In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.
in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
76 And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways;
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
79 To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace.
to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.
The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
