Luke 1
1 To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion among us,
Given that many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those things that really did take place among us,
2 just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterwards became bearers of the Message.
just as those who became eyewitnesses, from the beginning, and ministers of the Word delivered them to us,
3 And, therefore, I also, since I have investigated all these events with great care from their very beginning, have resolved to write a connected history of them for you,
it seemed good to me also, most excellent Theophilus, having taken careful note of everything from Above, to write to you with precision and in sequence,
4 in order that you may be able to satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the story which you have heard from the lips of others.
so that you may know the certainty of the things in which you were instructed.
5 In the reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the Division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron.
In the days of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth.
6 They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and they both were well advanced in years.
8 One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his Division,
Now it happened, as he was officiating as priest before God in the order of his division,
9 it fell to him by lot, in accordance with the practice among the priests, to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense;
according to the custom of the priesthood, that his lot was to burn incense, upon entering the sanctuary of the Lord;
10 and, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
and the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense;
12 Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.
and upon seeing him Zacharias was shaken, and a fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, whom you shall call by the name John.
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your prayer was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 He shall be to you a joy and a delight; and many shall rejoice over his birth.
And you will have joy and exultation, and many will rejoice over his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord; he shall not drink any wine or strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth,
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must not drink either wine or strong drink; indeed, he will be filled with Holy Spirit already from his mother's womb.
16 and shall reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their God.
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God;
17 He shall go before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, ‘to reconcile fathers to their children’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
in fact he himself will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of fathers to children’ and the disobedient to the mindset of the righteous, to prepare a people made ready for the Lord.”
18 “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”
But 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 “I am Gabriel,” the angel answered, “who stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
So in answer the angel said to him: “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news.
20 And now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course.”
Now look, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day in which these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple.
Now the people were waiting for Zacharias and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary.
22 When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb.
But when he came out he was unable to speak to them, and they understood that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary—he kept gesturing to them while remaining mute.
23 And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.
And so, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he took off for home.
24 After this his wife, Elizabeth, expecting to become a mother, lived in seclusion for five months.
Well after those days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and stayed in seclusion five months. She kept saying,
25 “This is what the Lord has done for me,” she said, “now that he has deigned to take away the reproach under which I have been living.”
“So that's what the Lord has done for me in the days when He concerned Himself to take away my reproach among the people!”
26 Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee named Natsareth,
27 to a maiden there who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; the virgin's name was Mary.
28 Gabriel came into her presence and said: “Hail, you who have been highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”
So upon entering where she was the angel said, “Rejoice, recipient of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,
But upon seeing him she was perplexed at his word and was trying to figure out what sort of greeting it might be.
30 when the angel spoke again: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
The angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God.
31 And now, you shall be with child and give birth to a son, and you shall give him the name Jesus.
Now then, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS.
32 The child shall be great and shall be called ‘Son of the Most High,’ and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David,
He will be great, and will be called ‘Son of the Most High’; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
33 and he shall reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there shall be no end.” (aiōn g165)
and He will reign over the house of Jacob into the ages; indeed, of His kingdom there will be no end!” (aiōn g165)
34 “How can this be?” Mary asked the angel. “For I have no husband.”
So Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I do not know a man?”
35 “The Holy Spirit shall descend upon you,” answered the angel, “and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called ‘holy,’ and ‘Son of God.’
In answer the angel said to her: “Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will hover over you; precisely for this reason the holy One who is to be born will be called ‘Son of God’!
36 And Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also expecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month with her, though she is called barren;
Furthermore, your relative Elizabeth, she has actually conceived a son in her old age and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren;
37 for no promise from God shall fail to be fulfilled.”
because any word spoken by God will be possible.”
38 “I am the servant of the Lord,” exclaimed Mary; “let it be with me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
So Mary said: “Yes, I am the Lord's slave! Let it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
39 Soon after this Mary set out, and made her way quickly into the hill-country, to a town in Judah;
Then Mary quickly got ready and went into the hill country in those days, to a town of Judah,
40 and there she went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
and entered the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child moved within her, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Well it happened that as Elizabeth heard Mary's salutation the babe bounced up and down in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with Holy Spirit.
42 and cried aloud: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
And she cried out with a great voice and said: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb!
43 But how have I this honour, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!
Yes indeed, because as the sound of your salutation came into my ears the babe bounced up and down in my womb for joy.
45 Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.”
Blessed is she who believed, because there will be a fulfillment of the things that have been spoken to her from the Lord.”
46 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
So Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 my spirit delights in God my Saviour;
and my spirit has exulted over God my Savior,
48 for he has remembered his servant in her lowliness; And from this hour all ages will count me happy!
in that He paid attention to the humble station of His slave (f). Yes indeed, because from now on all generations will declare me to be highly favored,
49 Great things has the Almighty done for me; And holy is his name.
in that the Mighty One did sublime things for me, and Holy is His name.
50 From age to age his mercy rests On those who reverence him.
His mercy is for generations of generations to those fearing Him.
51 Mighty are the deeds of his arm; He scatters the proud with their own devices,
He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has dispersed the arrogant in the reasoning of their hearts.
52 he casts down princes from their thrones, and the lowly he uplifts,
He has dethroned rulers and exalted the lowly.
53 the hungry he loads with gifts, and the rich he sends empty away.
He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, Ever mindful of his mercy
He has taken the part of His servant Israel, in remembrance of mercy,
just as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed while there is an age.” (aiōn g165)
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
So Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her house.
57 When Elizabeth’s time came, she gave birth to a son;
Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth was completed and she bore a son.
58 and her neighbours and relations, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy.
Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had used His great mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him ‘Zechariah’ after his father,
So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child, and they started calling him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
60 when his mother interposed: “No, he is to be called John.”
His mother reacted and said, “Absolutely not; he shall be called John!”
61 “You have no relation of that name!” they exclaimed;
So they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.
So they started motioning to his father, as to what he would have him called.
63 Asking for a writing-tablet, he wrote the words — ‘His name is John.’ Every one was surprised;
Asking for a writing tablet he wrote this: “His name is to be John!” They all marveled.
64 and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God.
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed and he started to speak, blessing God.
65 All their neighbours were awe-struck at this; and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about;
(Well a fear came on all who lived around them; and all these sayings kept being talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 and all who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another — “What can this child be destined to become?” For the Power of the Lord was with him.
All who heard kept them in their hearts saying, “What then will this child be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.)
67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:
Now his father Zacharias was filled with Holy Spirit and prophesied saying:
68 “Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and provided redemption for His people;
69 and has raised up for us the Strength of our Salvation In the House of his servant David —
and has raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of His servant David
—just as He spoke through the mouth of His holy prophets from antiquity— (aiōn g165)
71 Salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us,
deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us;
72 showing mercy to our forefathers, And mindful of his sacred Covenant.
to use mercy with our fathers, even to remember His Holy covenant,
73 This was the oath which he swore to our forefather Abraham —
the oath that He swore to our father Abraham;
74 That we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,
to grant to us (having been rescued from the hand of our enemies) to serve Him without fear,
75 and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, In his presence all our days.
in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 And thou, Child, shalt be called Prophet of the Most High, For thou shalt go before the Lord to make ready his way,
And you, child, will be called Prophet of the Most High, because you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins,
to give a knowledge of salvation to His people by the forgiveness of their sins,
78 through the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the Dawn will break on us from Heaven,
through the merciful compassions of our God, with which the divine Dawn has contemplated us,
79 to give light to those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, And guide our feet into the way of peace.”
to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 The child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the Wilds till the time came for his appearance before Israel.
So the child kept growing and being strengthened in spirit, and he stayed in uninhabited areas until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
