Luke 1
1 SINCE many have been disposed to write narratives of those events, of which we have full assurance,
Forsothe for manye men enforceden to ordeyne the tellyng of thingis, whiche ben fillid in vs,
2 as they delivered them to us, who from the first were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word;
as thei that seyn atte the bigynnyng, and weren ministris of the word,
3 it seemed proper for me also, as I had examined them all accurately, to write out the whole, methodically, for thee, excellent Theophilus:
bitaken, it is seen also to me, hauynge alle thingis diligentli bi ordre, to write to thee,
4 that thou mayest know the truth of the statements, which thou hast been taught.
thou best Theofile, that thou knowe the treuthe of tho wordis, of whiche thou art lerned.
5 In the days of Herod the king of Judaea, there was a certain priest, whose name was Zachariah, of the ministration of the house of Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
In the daies of Eroude, kyng of Judee, ther was a prest, Sakarie bi name, of the sorte of Abia, and his wijf was of the douytris of Aaron, and hir name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both upright before God, and walked in all his commandments, and in the righteousness of the Lord, without reproach.
And bothe weren iust bifor God, goynge in alle the maundementis and iustifiyngis of the Lord, withouten pleynt.
7 But they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren: and they were both advanced in life.
And thei hadden no child, for Elizabeth was bareyn, and bothe weren of grete age in her daies.
8 And it occurred, that as he performed the priestly functions in the order of his ministration before the Lord,
And it bifel, that whanne Zacarie schulde do the office of preesthod, in the ordre of his cours tofor God,
9 according to the usage of the priesthood, it fell to him to offer the incense. And he went into the temple of the Lord,
aftir the custome of the preesthod, he wente forth bi lot, and entride in to the temple, to encense.
10 and the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense.
And al the multitude of the puple was with outforth, and preiede in the our of encensyng.
11 And the angel of the Lord appeared to Zachariah, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And an aungel of the Lord apperide to hym, and stood on the riythalf of the auter of encense.
12 And when Zachariah saw him, he was agitated, and fear fell upon him.
And Zacarie seynge was afraied, and drede fel vpon hym.
13 And the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachariah; for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth will bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
And the aungel seide to hym, Zacarie, drede thou not; for thi preyer is herd, and Elizabeth, thi wijf, schal bere to thee a sone, and his name schal be clepid Joon.
14 And thou wilt have joy and gladness: and many will rejoice at his birth.
And ioye and gladyng schal be to thee; and many schulen `haue ioye in his natyuyte.
15 For he will be great before the Lord; and he will not drink wine nor strong drink, and will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.
For he schal be greet bifor the Lord, and he schal not drynke wyn and sidir, and he schal be fulfillid with the Hooli Goost yit of his modir wombe.
16 And many of the children of Israel will he convert to the Lord their God.
And he schal conuerte many of the children of Israel to her Lord God;
17 And he will go before him, in the spirit and power of Elijah the prophet, and will turn the heart of the fathers unto the children, and them that are disobedient to the knowledge of the righteous, and will prepare a perfect people for the Lord.
and he schal go bifor hym in the spirit and the vertu of Helie; and he schal turne the hertis of the fadris in to the sones, and men out of bileue to the prudence of iust men, to make redi a perfit puple to the Lord.
18 And Zachariah said to the angel: How shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife is advanced in life.
And Zacarie seide to the aungel, Wherof schal Y wite this? for Y am eld, and my wijf hath gon fer in to hir daies.
19 The angel answered, and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God; and I am sent to converse with thee, and to tell thee these things.
And the aungel answeride, and seide to hym, For Y am Gabriel, that stonde niy bifor God; and Y am sent to thee to speke, and to euangelize to thee these thingis.
20 Henceforth thou wilt be dumb, and unable to speak, until the day when these things take place: because thou believedst not my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.
And lo! thou schalt be doumbe, and thou schalt not mow speke til in to the dai, in which these thingis schulen be don; for thou hast not bileued to my wordis, whiche schulen be fulfillid in her tyme.
21 And the people were standing and waiting for Zachariah; and they wondered at his tarrying so long in the temple.
And the puple was abidynge Zacarie, and thei wondriden, that he tariede in the temple.
22 And when Zachariah came forth, he could not speak with them: and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he made many signs to them, and remained speechless.
And he yede out, and myyte not speke to hem, and thei knewen that he hadde seyn a visioun in the temple. And he bikenyde to hem, and he dwellide stille doumbe.
23 And when the days of his ministration were accomplished, he came to his house.
And it was don, whanne the daies of his office weren fulfillid, he wente in to his hous.
24 And it was after those days, that Elisabeth his wife conceived. And she secluded herself five months; and she said:
And aftir these daies Elizabeth, his wijf, conseyuede, and hidde hir fyue monethis, and seide,
25 These things hath the Lord done for me, in the days when he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men.
For so the Lord dide to me in the daies, in whiche he bihelde, to take awei my repreef among men.
26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God into Galilee, to a city named Nazareth,
But in the sixte moneth the aungel Gabriel was sent fro God in to a citee of Galilee, whos name was Nazareth,
27 to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
to a maidyn, weddid to a man, whos name was Joseph, of the hous of Dauid; and the name of the maidun was Marie.
28 And the angel entered the house, and said to her: Peace to thee, thou full of grace! The Lord is with thee: and blessed art thou among women.
And the aungel entride to hir, and seide, Heil, ful of grace; the Lord be with thee; blessid be thou among wymmen.
29 And when she saw him, she was agitated by his speech; and she pondered, what this salutation could mean.
And whanne sche hadde herd, sche was troublid in his word, and thouyte what maner salutacioun this was.
30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with God.
And the aungel seide to hir, Ne drede thou not, Marie, for thou hast foundun grace anentis God.
31 For lo, thou wilt conceive in thy womb, and wilt bear a son, and wilt call his name Jesus.
Lo! thou schalt conceyue in wombe, and schalt bere a sone, and thou schalt clepe his name Jhesus.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
This schal be greet, and he schal be clepid the sone of the Hiyeste; and the Lord God schal yeue to hym the seete of Dauid, his fadir,
33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his reign there will be no end. (aiōn g165)
and he schal regne in the hous of Jacob with outen ende, and of his rewme schal be noon ende. (aiōn g165)
34 And Mary said to the angel: How can this be, as I have not known a man?
And Marie seide to the aungel, On what maner schal this thing be doon, for Y knowe not man?
35 The angel replied, and said to her: The Holy Spirit will come, and the power of the Most High will overshadow thee; therefore he that is born of thee is holy, and will be called the Son of God.
And the aungel answeride, and seide to hir, The Hooly Goost schal come fro aboue in to thee, and the vertu of the Hiyeste schal ouerschadewe thee; and therfor that hooli thing that schal be borun of thee, schal be clepid the sone of God.
36 And lo, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, even she too hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who is called barren.
And lo! Elizabeth, thi cosyn, and sche also hath conceyued a sone in hir eelde, and this moneth is the sixte to hir that is clepid bareyn;
37 Because nothing is difficult for God.
for euery word schal not be inpossible anentis God.
38 Mary said: Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me, according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
And Marie seide, Lo! the handmaydyn of the Lord; be it don to me aftir thi word. And the aungel departide fro hir.
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went hastily to the mountain district, to a city of Judaea;
And Marie roos vp in tho daies, and wente with haaste in to the mounteyns, in to a citee of Judee.
40 and entered the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elisabeth.
And sche entride in to the hous of Zacarie, and grette Elizabeth.
41 And it was so, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the child leaped in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
And it was don, as Elizabeth herde the salutacioun of Marie, the yong child in hir wombe gladide. And Elizabeth was fulfillid with the Hooli Goost,
42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said to Mary: Blessed art thou among women; and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
and criede with a greet vois, and seide, Blessid be thou among wymmen, and blessid be the fruyt of thi wombe.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
And whereof is this thing to me, that the modir of my Lord come to me?
44 For lo, as the voice of thy salutation fell upon my ears, with great joy the child leaped in my womb.
For lo! as the voice of thi salutacioun was maad in myn eeris, the yong child gladide in ioye in my wombe.
45 And happy is she that believed; for there will be a fulfillment of those things that were told her by the Lord.
And blessid be thou, that hast bileued, for thilke thingis that ben seid of the Lord to thee, schulen be parfitli don.
46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord:
And Marie seide, Mi soule magnyfieth the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoiceth in God the author of my life.
and my spirit hath gladid in God, myn helthe.
48 For he hath looked upon the humble condition of his hand maid; and lo, henceforth all generations will ascribe blessedness to me.
For he hath biholdun the mekenesse of his handmaidun.
49 And He that is mighty hath done for me great things; and holy is his name.
For lo! of this alle generaciouns schulen seie that Y am blessid. For he that is myyti hath don to me grete thingis, and his name is hooli.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him, for generations and posterities.
And his mercy is fro kynrede in to kynredes, to men that dreden hym.
51 He hath wrought victory with his arm; and hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.
He made myyt in his arme, he scaterede proude men with the thouyte of his herte.
52 He hath cast down the mighty from their thrones, and hath exalted the lowly.
He sette doun myyti men fro sete, and enhaunside meke men.
53 The hungry hath he satisfied with good things, and the rich hath he sent away empty.
He hath fulfillid hungri men with goodis, and he hath left riche men voide.
54 He hath aided Israel his servant, and remembered his mercy,
He, hauynge mynde of his mercy, took Israel, his child;
as he hath spokun to oure fadris, to Abraham and to his seed, in to worldis. (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary remained with Elisabeth about three months, and returned to her home.
And Marie dwellide with hir, as it were thre monethis, and turnede ayen in to hir hous.
57 And Elisabeth's time of bringing forth arrived; and she bore a son.
But the tyme of beryng child was fulfillid to Elizabeth, and sche bare a sone.
58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
And the neiyboris and cosyns of hir herden, that the Lord hadde magnyfied his mercy with hir; and thei thankiden hym.
59 And it occurred, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they called him by the name of his father, Zachariah.
And it was don in the eiyte dai, thei camen to circumcide the child; and thei clepiden hym Zacarie, bi the name of his fadir.
60 And his mother answered and said: Not so; but John, shall he be called.
And his moder answeride, and seide, Nay, but he schal be clepid Joon.
61 And they said to her: There is no one among thy kindred called by that name.
And thei seiden to hir, For no man is in thi kynrede, that is clepid this name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him named.
And thei bikeneden to his fadir, what he wolde that he were clepid.
63 And he asked for a tablet, and wrote, and said: John is his name. And every one was surprised.
And he axynge a poyntil, wroot, seiynge, Joon is his name.
64 And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue; and he spoke, and praised God.
And alle men wondriden. And anoon his mouth was openyd, and his tunge, and he spak, and blesside God.
65 And fear came upon all their neighbors; and these things were talked of in all the mountain district of Judaea.
And drede was maad on alle her neiyboris, and alle these wordis weren pupplischid on alle the mounteyns of Judee.
66 And all who heard, pondered them in their heart, and said: What will this child be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.
And alle men that herden puttiden in her herte, and seiden, What maner child schal this be? For the hoond of the Lord was with hym.
67 And Zachariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, and said:
And Zacarie, his fadir, was fulfillid with the Hooli Goost, and prophesiede,
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, who hath visited his people, and wrought redemption for them:
and seide, Blessid be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visitid, and maad redempcioun of his puple.
69 And hath raised up a horn of redemption for us, in the house of David his servant:
And he hath rerid to vs an horn of heelthe in the hous of Dauid, his child.
As he spak bi the mouth of hise hooli prophetis, that weren fro the world. (aiōn g165)
71 that he would redeem us from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.
Helthe fro oure enemyes, and fro the hoond of alle men that hatiden vs.
72 And he hath exercised his mercy to our fathers, and hath remembered his holy covenants,
To do merci with oure fadris, and to haue mynde of his hooli testament.
73 and the oath that he sware to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us,
The greet ooth that he swoor to Abraham, oure fadir, to yyue hym silf to vs.
74 to be redeemed from the hand of our enemies; and that we should worship before him, without fear,
That we with out drede delyuered fro the hoond of oure enemyes,
75 all our days, in rectitude and uprightness.
serue to hym, in hoolynesse and riytwisnesse bifor hym in alle oure daies.
76 And thou, child, wilt be called a prophet of the Most High; for thou wilt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his way,
And thou, child, schalt be clepid the prophete of the Hiyest; for thou schalt go bifor the face of the Lord, to make redi hise weies.
77 that he may give the knowledge of life to his people, and forgiveness of their sins,
To yyue scyence of helthe to his puple, in to remyssioun of her synnes;
78 through the compassion of the mercy of our God; whereby the day-spring from on high will visit us,
bi the inwardnesse of the merci of oure God, in the whiche he spryngynge vp fro an hiy hath visitid vs.
79 to give light to them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death; and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
To yyue liyt to hem that sitten in derknessis and in schadewe of deeth; to dresse oure feet in to the weie of pees.
80 And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit. And he was in the wilderness, until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
And the child wexide, and was coumfortid in spirit, and was in desert placis `til to the dai of his schewing to Israel.
