Luke 1
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us
2 even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,
on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,
3 it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus;
it has seemed right to me also, after careful investigation of the facts from their commencement, to write for you, most noble Theophilus, a connected account,
4 that thou mightest know the certainty concerning the things wherein thou wast instructed.
that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.
5 There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
There was in the time of Herod, the king of Judaea, a priest of the name of Zechariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife who was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were [now] well stricken in years.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.
8 Now it came to pass, while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,
Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,
9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
it fell to his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood--to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense;
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense.
and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side 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 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw [him], and fear fell upon him.
and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth.
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; no wine or fermented drink shall he ever drink; but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God.
Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;
17 And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient [to walk] in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared [for him].
and he will be His forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn fathers' hearts to the children, and cause the rebellious to walk in the wisdom of the upright, to make a people perfectly ready for the lord."
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
"By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these good tidings.
"I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God," answered the angel, "and I have been sent to talk with you and tell you this good news.
20 And behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words--words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."
21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled while he tarried in the temple.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he continued making signs unto them, and remained dumb.
When, however, he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they knew that he must have seen a vision in the Sanctuary; but he kept making signs to them and continued dumb.
23 And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were fulfilled, he departed unto his house.
When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;
24 And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.
25 Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon [me], to take away my reproach among men.
"Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary.
28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee.
So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."
29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be.
She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
He will be great and He will be called 'Son of the Most High.' And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His forefather David;
33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (aiōn g165)
and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." (aiōn g165)
34 And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
"How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also that which is to be born shall be called holy, the Son of God.
The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called 'the Son of God.'
36 And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren.
And see, your relative Elizabeth--she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37 For no word from God shall be void of power.
For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment."
38 And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
"I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.
39 And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah;
Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.
40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth.
Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;
41 And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost;
and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt within her. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb.
and uttered a loud cry of joy. "Blest among women are you," she said, "and the offspring of your body is blest!
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me?
But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.
45 And blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord.
And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
And my spirit triumphs in God my Saviour;
48 For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaiden: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name.
Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--
50 And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear him.
And His compassion is, generation after generation, Upon those who fear Him.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.
He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He hath put down princes from [their] thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree.
He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men of low estate.
53 The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away.
The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich He has sent empty-handed away.
54 He hath holpen Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy
His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compassion--
In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers--For Abraham and his posterity for ever." (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned unto her house.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.
57 Now Elisabeth’s time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, she gave birth to a son;
58 And her neighbours and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her.
and her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had great compassion on her; and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
"There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."
62 And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.
63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all.
So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue [loosed], and he spake, blessing God.
Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless God.
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
And all who lived round about them were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judaea reports of all these things were spread abroad.
66 And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
All who heard the story treasured it in their memories. "What then will this child be?" they said. For the lord's hand was indeed with him.
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in a rapture of praise.
68 Blessed [be] the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people,
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel," he said, "Because He has not forgotten His people but has effected redemption for them,
69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David
And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of David His servant--
70 (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began), (aiōn g165)
As He has spoken from all time by the lips of His holy Prophets-- (aiōn g165)
71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.
72 To shew mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;
He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,
73 The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father,
The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,
74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear,
To grant us to be rescued from the power of our foes And so render worship to Him free from fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.
76 Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways;
And you moreover, O child, shall be called Prophet of the Most High; For you shall go on in front before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people In the remission of their sins,
To give to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us,
Through the tender compassion of our God, Through which the daybreak from on high will come to us,
79 To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace.
Dawning on those who now dwell in the darkness and shadow of death--To direct our feet into the path of peace."
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
And the child grew and became strong in character, and lived in the Desert till the time came for him to appear publicly to Israel.
