< Luke 1 >
1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
2 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,
3 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 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Yehuda, a certain priest named Zekharya, of the division of Awiya. He had a wife of the daughters of Ahrun, and her name was Elishava.
6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 But they had no child, because Elishava was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8 Now it happened, while he was performing the priest's office before God in the order of his division,
9 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 the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 Zekharya was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zekharya, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elishava, will bear you a son, and you are to name him Yukhanan.
14 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Rukha d'Qudsha, even from his mother's womb.
16 He will turn many of the people of Israyel to the Lord, their God.
17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Eliya, 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 Zekharya 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 The angel answered him, "I am Gavriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
20 And look, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
21 The people were waiting for Zekharya, and they were wondering why he was delayed in the temple.
22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
23 It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
24 After these days Elishava, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my disgrace among people."
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gavriel was sent from God to a city of Galila, named Natsrath,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Yauseph, of the house of Dawid. The virgin's name was Maryam.
28 Having come in, the angel said to her, "Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you."
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Maryam, for you have found favor with God.
31 And look, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Yeshua.'
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, Dawid,
33 and he will reign over the house of Yaquv forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom." (aiōn )
34 Maryam said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"
35 The angel answered her, "The Rukha d'Qudsha will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born will be called the Son of God.
36 And look, Elishava, 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 with God nothing will be impossible."
38 And Maryam said, "See, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her.
39 Maryam arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Yehuda,
40 and entered into the house of Zekharya and greeted Elishava.
41 It happened, when Elishava heard Maryam's greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elishava was filled with the Rukha d'Qudsha.
42 She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For look, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord."
46 Maryam said, "My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked at the humble state of his servant girl. For look, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.
51 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones and has exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has given help to Israyel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Avraham and his offspring forever." (aiōn )
56 Maryam stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
57 Now the time that Elishava should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son.
58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zekharya, after the name of the father.
60 His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called Yukhanan."
61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."
62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is Yukhanan." And they were all amazed.
64 His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Yehuda.
66 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 His father, Zekharya, was filled with the Rukha d'Qudsha, and prophesied, saying,
68 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israyel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people;
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant Dawid
70 (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), (aiōn )
71 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he spoke to Avraham, our father,
74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace."
80 The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israyel.
