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,
Seeing that many have taken it in hand to draw up an account of those matters which have been fully established among us,
2 just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterward became bearers of the message.
just as they reported them to us, who were from beginning eye- witnesses and ministers of the word,
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 accurately, from the very beginning, to write them to you in order, most excellent Theophilus,
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 story which you have been taught by the word of mouth.
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 reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a certain priest, named Zachariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife named Elizabeth,
6 They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
who was a descendant of Aaron. They were both righteous in the sight of the Lord, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the law, blameless.
7 But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
Now they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were far advanced in years.
8 One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his division,
Now while Zachariah was acting as priest before God in the due course of his class, it fell to his lot, according to the custom of priesthood,
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;
to enter into the sanctuary of the Lord and to burn incense.
10 and, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
And the whole multitude of the people were without, praying 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 there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.
And as he saw him Zachariah was troubled, and 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 will bear you a son, whom you will call by the name John.
But the Angel said to him. "Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
14 He will be to you a joy and a delight; and many will rejoice over his birth.
"And he shall be to you a joy and an exultation, and many shall rejoice over his birth.
15 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,
"For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, "He shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, "He shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the hour of his birth,
16 and will reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their God.
"And shall win many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God.
17 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.”
"He shall go before Him in the wisdom and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him."
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.”
"How shall I be sure of this?" said Zachariah to the Angel. "For I am an old man and my wife is 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.
"I am Gabriel," answered the angel, "who stand in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring and to bring you this good news.
20 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.”
"And now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words - Words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."
21 Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zachariah and wondering why he stayed so long 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.
And when he came out he could not speak to them, and then they knew that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained dumb.
23 And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.
As soon as his term of priestly service was ended he went home;
24 After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months.
and after those days Elizabeth, his wife, Conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying.
25 “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.”
"This has the Lord done for me. He has now deigned to take the away my reproach among men."
26 Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, called Nazareth,
27 to a maiden there who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
to a maiden betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying, “You have been shown great favor – the Lord is with you.”
The angel went in and said to her. "Joy to you, highly favored one! "The Lord is with you."
29 Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,
Mary was greatly agitated at his word, and was revolving in her mind what this salutation could mean.
30 when the angel spoke again, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
when the angel said to her. "Fear not Mary, for you have found grace with God.
31 And now, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus.
"And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you shall call his name Jesus.
32 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,
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. "And the Lord God will give him the throne of his forefather David,
33 and he will reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there will be no end.” (aiōn g165)
"and he shall reign over the House of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (aiōn g165)
34 “How can this be?” Mary asked the angel. “For I have no husband.”
And Mary said to the angel. "How can this be? For I have no husband?"
35 “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.’
"The Holy Spirit shall come upon you," said the angel, "and the power of the most High shall overshadow you, and therefore the holy offspring which is born, shall be called the 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;
"And behold your kinswoman, Elizabeth, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this was the sixth month with her that was called barren.
37 for no promise from God will fail to be fulfilled.”
"For no word of God shall be void of power."
38 “I am the servant of the Lord,” exclaimed Mary. “Let it be with me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Then Mary said. "Behold I am Lord’s slave. Let it be to me as you have said." Then 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;
Soon after this Mary set out and hastened unto the hill-country to a town in Judah;
40 and there she went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
and there she came into the house of Zachariah, and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child moved within her, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
And when Elizabeth heard her salutation, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 and cried aloud, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
and called out with a loud cry. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 But how have I this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
"But why is this honor done me, that the mother of my Lord should come me?
44 For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!
"For behold when the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped with joy within my womb.
45 Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.”
"And blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words spoken to her would be fulfilled."
46 And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
And Mary said. "My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 and my spirit delights in God my Savior,
"My spirit exults in the God, who is my Saviour,
48 for he has looked with favor on his humble servant girl. From now on all generations will call me blessed!
"For he has regarded the humiliation of his slave, And from this hour all ages will count me blessed.
49 “For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
"For he who is mighty has done great things for me; And holy is his name.
50 He has mercy on those who revere him in every generation.
"His mercy is unto generations and generations on those who reverence him.
51 “Mighty are the deeds of his arm! He has scattered the self-satisfied proud,
"He has showed strength with his arm. "He has scattered proud in the imagination of their hearts;
52 he has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and he uplifts the humble,
"he has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted those of low degree.
53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
"The hungry he has filled with good things, But the rich he has sent empty away.
54 “He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, ever mindful of his mercy,
"He has helped Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
"As he spoke to our forefathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever." (aiōn g165)
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and returned home.
57 When Elizabeth’s time came, she gave birth to a son;
Now when the time of Elizabeth’s delivery was come, she gave birth to a son;
58 and her neighbors and relatives, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy.
and her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward 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,
and came on the eighth day to circumcise the child. They were about to call him "Zachariah," after his father,
60 when his mother spoke up, “No, he is to be called John.”
when his mother said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 “You have no relation of that name!” they exclaimed;
Said they, "You have no relatives of that name!"
62 and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.
Then they asked his father by signs what he wished to call the child.
63 Asking for a writing tablet, he wrote the words – ‘His name is John.’ Everyone was surprised
So he asked for a writing tablet and wrote down, "His name is John."
64 and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God.
Every one was surprised, and at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 All their neighbors were awe-struck at this, and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about.
And there came a great fear upon all in the neighborhood; and throughout the hill country of Judea all these sayings were much talked about.
66 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 the story laid it up in their hearts, saying "What, then, will this child be?" For the Lord’s hands was with him.
67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:
And his father, Zachariah, was filled with the 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, For he has visited and redeemed 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 mighty Deliverer for us In the house of his servant David,
"As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Which have been since the world began (aiōn g165)
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us,
To deliver us from our enemies, and from the power Of all who hate us.
72 showing mercy to our ancestors, and mindful of his sacred covenant.
"He showed mercy to our forefathers, He remembered his holy covenant,
73 This was the oath which he swore to our ancestor Abraham –
"The oath which he swore to Abraham, our forefather,
74 that we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,
"That he we should be delivered out of the Hand of our enemies, And should 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 our days.
76 And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his way,
"And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Most High, For thou shalt go before the Lord to prepare the way
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
"To give to his people a knowledge of salvation Through the remission of their sins,
78 through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn will break on us from heaven,
"Through the heart of mercy of our God, Whereby the Dayspring from on high shall visit us,
79 to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace.”
"To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, And to guide our feet into the paths of peace."
80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilds until the time came for his appearance before Israel.
And the child grew, and became strong in the Spirit, and remained in the desert till the day of his showing to Israel.
