< Luke 1 >

1 Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance 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 on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,
just as they reported them to us, who were from beginning eye- witnesses and ministers of the word,
3 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,
it seemed good to me also accurately, from the very beginning, to write them to you in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.
so that you may know the certainty of the story which you have been taught by the word of mouth.
5 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.
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 of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.
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, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.
Now they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were far advanced in years.
8 Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,
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 his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood--to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense;
to enter into the sanctuary of the Lord and to burn incense.
10 and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.
And the whole multitude of the people were without, praying at the hour of incense.
11 Then there appeared to 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 Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.
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, for your petition has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his 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 Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, 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; 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.
"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 Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;
"And shall win many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God.
17 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."
"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 "By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far 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, 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.
"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 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."
"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 waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zachariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
22 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.
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 When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;
As soon as his term of priestly service was ended he went home;
24 and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.
and after those days Elizabeth, his wife, Conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying.
25 "Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."
"This has the Lord done for me. He has now deigned to take the away my reproach among men."
26 Now in the sixth month 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 betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary.
to a maiden betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! 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 She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.
Mary was greatly agitated at his word, and was revolving in her mind what this salutation could mean.
30 But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
when the angel said to her. "Fear not Mary, for you have found grace with God.
31 You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.
"And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you shall call his name Jesus.
32 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;
"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 be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of 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 replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"
And Mary said to the angel. "How can this be? For I have no husband?"
35 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.'
"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 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.
"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 be impossible of fulfilment."
"For no word of God shall be void of power."
38 "I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And 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 Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste 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 Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;
and there she came into the house of Zachariah, and greeted Elizabeth.
41 and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt within her. And Elizabeth 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 uttered a loud cry of joy. "Blest among women are you," she said, "and the offspring of your body is blest!
and called out with a loud cry. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 But why is this honour done me, 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, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.
"For behold when the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped with joy within my womb.
45 And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."
"And blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words spoken to her would be fulfilled."
46 Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord,
And Mary said. "My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit triumphs in God my Saviour;
"My spirit exults in the God, who is my Saviour,
48 Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,
"For he has regarded the humiliation of his slave, And from this hour all ages will count me blessed.
49 Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--
"For he who is mighty has done great things for me; And holy is his name.
50 And His compassion is, generation after generation, Upon those who fear Him.
"His mercy is unto generations and generations on those who reverence him.
51 He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.
"He has showed strength with his arm. "He has scattered proud in the imagination of their hearts;
52 He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men of low estate.
"he has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted those of low degree.
53 The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich He has sent empty-handed away.
"The hungry he has filled with good things, But the rich he has sent empty away.
54 His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compassion--
"He has helped Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55 In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers--For Abraham and his posterity for ever." (aiōn g165)
"As he spoke to our forefathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever." (aiōn g165)
56 So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and returned home.
57 Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, 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 neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had great compassion on her; and they rejoiced with her.
and her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her,
59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going 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 His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."
when his mother said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 "There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."
Said they, "You have no relatives of that name!"
62 They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.
Then they asked his father by signs what he wished to call the child.
63 So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
So he asked for a writing tablet and wrote down, "His name is John."
64 Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless God.
Every one was surprised, and at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 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.
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 the story treasured it in their memories. "What then will this child be?" they said. For the lord's hand was indeed 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 And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in a rapture of praise.
And his father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying.
68 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel," he said, "Because He has not forgotten His people but has effected redemption for them,
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, For he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of David His servant--
"And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of his servant David,
70 As He has spoken from all time by the lips of His holy Prophets-- (aiōn g165)
"As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Which have been since the world began (aiōn g165)
71 To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.
To deliver us from our enemies, and from the power Of all who hate us.
72 He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,
"He showed mercy to our forefathers, He remembered his holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,
"The oath which he swore to Abraham, our forefather,
74 To grant us to be rescued from the power of our foes And so render worship to Him free from fear,
"That he we should be delivered out of the Hand of our enemies, And should serve him without fear,
75 In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.
"In holiness and righteousness before him All our days.
76 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,
"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 to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins,
"To give to his people a knowledge of salvation Through the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender compassion of our God, Through which the daybreak from on high will come to us,
"Through the heart of mercy of our God, Whereby the Dayspring from on high shall visit us,
79 Dawning on those who now dwell in the darkness and shadow of death--To direct our feet into the path 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 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.
And the child grew, and became strong in the Spirit, and remained in the desert till the day of his showing to Israel.

< Luke 1 >