Luke 1
1 Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us
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,
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 were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterward became bearers of the message.
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,
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,
4 that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.
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.
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 priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.
They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.
But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
8 Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,
One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his division,
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;
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;
10 and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.
and, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
11 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense;
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense.
12 and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.
Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.
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, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, whom you will call by the name John.
14 Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth.
He will be to you a joy and a delight; and many will 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 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,
16 Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;
and will reconcile many of the Israelites 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 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.”
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 can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked 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,” 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.
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 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.”
21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple.
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.
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.
23 When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;
And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.
24 and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.
After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months.
25 "Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."
“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.”
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 from 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 there who was engaged 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."
Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying, “You have been shown great favor – the Lord is with you.”
29 She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,
30 But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
when the angel spoke again, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.
And now, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will give him the 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;
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,
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 will reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there will be no end.” (aiōn g165)
34 "How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"
“How can this be?” Mary asked the angel. “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 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.’
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 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;
37 For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment."
for no promise from God will fail to be fulfilled.”
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.
“I am the servant of the Lord,” exclaimed Mary. “Let it be with me as you have said.” Then the angel left 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 made her way quickly into the hill-country, to a town in Judah;
40 Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;
and there she went into Zechariah’s house 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,
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child moved within her, 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 cried aloud, “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 how have I this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.
For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!
45 And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."
Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.”
46 Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord,
And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
47 And my spirit triumphs in God my Saviour;
and my spirit delights in God my Savior,
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 looked with favor on his humble servant girl. From now on all generations will call me blessed!
49 Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--
“For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 And His compassion is, generation after generation, Upon those who fear Him.
He has mercy on those who revere him in every generation.
51 He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.
“Mighty are the deeds of his arm! He has scattered the self-satisfied proud,
52 He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men of low estate.
he has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and he uplifts the humble,
53 The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich He has sent empty-handed away.
he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compassion--
“He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, ever mindful of his mercy,
55 In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers--For Abraham and his posterity for ever." (aiōn g165)
as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants for ever.” (aiōn g165)
56 So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
57 Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, she gave birth to a son;
When Elizabeth’s time came, 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 relatives, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy.
59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him Zechariah after his father,
60 His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."
when his mother spoke up, “No, he is to be called John.”
61 "There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."
“You have no relation of that name!” they exclaimed;
62 They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.
and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.
63 So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
Asking for a writing tablet, he wrote the words – ‘His name is John.’ Everyone was surprised
64 Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless God.
and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless 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.
All their neighbors were awe-struck at this, and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was 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 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.
67 And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in a rapture of praise.
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:
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 is the Lord, the God of Israel, who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,
69 And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of David His servant--
and has raised up for us the strength of our salvation in the house of his servant David –
as he promised by the lips of his holy prophets of old – (aiōn g165)
71 To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.
salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us,
72 He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,
showing mercy to our ancestors, and mindful of his sacred covenant.
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,
This was the oath which he swore to our ancestor Abraham –
74 To grant us to be rescued from the power of our foes And so render worship to Him free from fear,
that we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,
75 In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.
and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, in his presence 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 you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his way,
77 To give to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Through the tender compassion of our God, Through which the daybreak from on high will come to us,
through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn will break on us from heaven,
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 live in darkness and the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way 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.
The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilds until the time came for his appearance before Israel.
