Luke 1
1 Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
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,
2 just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterward became bearers of the message.
3 Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
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,
4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
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.
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron.
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.
6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
8 One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his division,
9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
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;
10 And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
and, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
11 Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense.
12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, whom you will call by the name John.
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
He will be to you a joy and a delight; and many will rejoice over his birth.
15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth,
16 Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
and will reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
He will 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.”
18 “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”
19 “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
“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.
20 And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
And now you will 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.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple.
22 When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained speechless.
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.
23 And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.
24 After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months.
25 “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
“The Lord has done this for me,” she said, “he has shown me kindness and taken away the public disgrace of childlessness under which I have been living.”
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
to a maiden there who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying, “You have been shown great favor – the Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,
30 So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
when the angel spoke again, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
And now, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus.
32 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,
The child will be great and will be called ‘Son of the Most High,’ and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David,
and he will reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there will be no end.” (aiōn g165)
34 “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
“How can this be?” Mary asked the angel. “For I have no husband.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
“The Holy Spirit will descend on you,” answered the angel, “and the Power of the Most High will overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called ‘holy,’ and ‘Son of God.’
36 Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
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;
37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
for no promise from God will fail to be fulfilled.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
“I am the servant of the Lord,” exclaimed Mary. “Let it be with me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
39 In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
Soon after this Mary set out, and made her way quickly into the hill-country, to a town in Judah;
40 where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
and there she went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child moved within her, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
and cried aloud, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
But how have I this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!
45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.”
46 Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
and my spirit delights in God my Savior,
48 For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.
for he has looked with favor on his humble servant girl. From now on all generations will call me blessed!
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
“For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
He has mercy on those who revere him in every generation.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
“Mighty are the deeds of his arm! He has scattered the self-satisfied proud,
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
he has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and he uplifts the humble,
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
“He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, ever mindful of his mercy,
as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants for ever.” (aiōn g165)
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
When Elizabeth’s time came, she gave birth to a son;
58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
and her neighbors and relatives, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy.
59 On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him Zechariah after his father,
60 But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
when his mother spoke up, “No, he is to be called John.”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
“You have no relation of that name!” they exclaimed;
62 So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.
63 Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
Asking for a writing tablet, he wrote the words – ‘His name is John.’ Everyone was surprised
64 Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God.
65 All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
All their neighbors were awe-struck at this, and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about.
66 And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
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.
67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:
68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
“Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
and has raised up for us the strength of our salvation in the house of his servant David –
as he promised by the lips of his holy prophets of old – (aiōn g165)
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us,
72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
showing mercy to our ancestors, and mindful of his sacred covenant.
73 the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
This was the oath which he swore to our ancestor Abraham –
74 deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
that we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,
75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, in his presence all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his way,
77 to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn will break on us from heaven,
79 to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.
The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilds until the time came for his appearance before Israel.
