Luke 1
1 Forsothe for manye men enforceden to ordeyne the tellyng of thingis, whiche ben fillid in vs,
Seeing that many have taken it in hand to draw up an account of those matters which have been fully established among us,
2 as thei that seyn atte the bigynnyng, and weren ministris of the word,
just as they reported them to us, who were from beginning eye- witnesses and ministers of the word,
3 bitaken, it is seen also to me, hauynge alle thingis diligentli bi ordre, to write to thee,
it seemed good to me also accurately, from the very beginning, to write them to you in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 thou best Theofile, that thou knowe the treuthe of tho wordis, of whiche thou art lerned.
so that you may know the certainty of the story which you have been taught by the word of mouth.
5 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.
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 And bothe weren iust bifor God, goynge in alle the maundementis and iustifiyngis of the Lord, withouten pleynt.
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 And thei hadden no child, for Elizabeth was bareyn, and bothe weren of grete age in her daies.
Now they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were far advanced in years.
8 And it bifel, that whanne Zacarie schulde do the office of preesthod, in the ordre of his cours tofor God,
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 aftir the custome of the preesthod, he wente forth bi lot, and entride in to the temple, to encense.
to enter into the sanctuary of the Lord and to burn incense.
10 And al the multitude of the puple was with outforth, and preiede in the our of encensyng.
And the whole multitude of the people were without, praying at the hour of incense.
11 And an aungel of the Lord apperide to hym, and stood on the riythalf of the auter of encense.
Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zacarie seynge was afraied, and drede fel vpon hym.
And as he saw him Zachariah was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 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.
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 And ioye and gladyng schal be to thee; and many schulen `haue ioye in his natyuyte.
"And he shall be to you a joy and an exultation, and many shall rejoice over his birth.
15 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.
"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 he schal conuerte many of the children of Israel to her Lord God;
"And shall win many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God.
17 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.
"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 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.
"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 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.
"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 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.
"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 And the puple was abidynge Zacarie, and thei wondriden, that he tariede in the temple.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zachariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
22 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.
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 it was don, whanne the daies of his office weren fulfillid, he wente in to his hous.
As soon as his term of priestly service was ended he went home;
24 And aftir these daies Elizabeth, his wijf, conseyuede, and hidde hir fyue monethis, and seide,
and after those days Elizabeth, his wife, Conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying.
25 For so the Lord dide to me in the daies, in whiche he bihelde, to take awei my repreef among men.
"This has the Lord done for me. He has now deigned to take the away my reproach among men."
26 But in the sixte moneth the aungel Gabriel was sent fro God in to a citee of Galilee, whos name was Nazareth,
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, called Nazareth,
27 to a maidyn, weddid to a man, whos name was Joseph, of the hous of Dauid; and the name of the maidun was Marie.
to a maiden betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 And the aungel entride to hir, and seide, Heil, ful of grace; the Lord be with thee; blessid be thou among wymmen.
The angel went in and said to her. "Joy to you, highly favored one! "The Lord is with you."
29 And whanne sche hadde herd, sche was troublid in his word, and thouyte what maner salutacioun this was.
Mary was greatly agitated at his word, and was revolving in her mind what this salutation could mean.
30 And the aungel seide to hir, Ne drede thou not, Marie, for thou hast foundun grace anentis God.
when the angel said to her. "Fear not Mary, for you have found grace with God.
31 Lo! thou schalt conceyue in wombe, and schalt bere a sone, and thou schalt clepe his name Jhesus.
"And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you shall call his name Jesus.
32 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,
"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 schal regne in the hous of Jacob with outen ende, and of his rewme schal be noon ende. (aiōn g165)
"and he shall reign over the House of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (aiōn g165)
34 And Marie seide to the aungel, On what maner schal this thing be doon, for Y knowe not man?
And Mary said to the angel. "How can this be? For I have no husband?"
35 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.
"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 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;
"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 euery word schal not be inpossible anentis God.
"For no word of God shall be void of power."
38 And Marie seide, Lo! the handmaydyn of the Lord; be it don to me aftir thi word. And the aungel departide fro hir.
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 And Marie roos vp in tho daies, and wente with haaste in to the mounteyns, in to a citee of Judee.
Soon after this Mary set out and hastened unto the hill-country to a town in Judah;
40 And sche entride in to the hous of Zacarie, and grette Elizabeth.
and there she came into the house of Zachariah, and greeted Elizabeth.
41 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,
And when Elizabeth heard her salutation, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 and criede with a greet vois, and seide, Blessid be thou among wymmen, and blessid be the fruyt of thi wombe.
and called out with a loud cry. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 And whereof is this thing to me, that the modir of my Lord come to me?
"But why is this honor done me, that the mother of my Lord should come me?
44 For lo! as the voice of thi salutacioun was maad in myn eeris, the yong child gladide in ioye in my wombe.
"For behold when the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped with joy within my womb.
45 And blessid be thou, that hast bileued, for thilke thingis that ben seid of the Lord to thee, schulen be parfitli don.
"And blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words spoken to her would be fulfilled."
46 And Marie seide, Mi soule magnyfieth the Lord,
And Mary said. "My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 and my spirit hath gladid in God, myn helthe.
"My spirit exults in the God, who is my Saviour,
48 For he hath biholdun the mekenesse of his handmaidun.
"For he has regarded the humiliation of his slave, And from this hour all ages will count me blessed.
49 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.
"For he who is mighty has done great things for me; And holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is fro kynrede in to kynredes, to men that dreden hym.
"His mercy is unto generations and generations on those who reverence him.
51 He made myyt in his arme, he scaterede proude men with the thouyte of his herte.
"He has showed strength with his arm. "He has scattered proud in the imagination of their hearts;
52 He sette doun myyti men fro sete, and enhaunside meke men.
"he has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted those of low degree.
53 He hath fulfillid hungri men with goodis, and he hath left riche men voide.
"The hungry he has filled with good things, But the rich he has sent empty away.
54 He, hauynge mynde of his mercy, took Israel, his child;
"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 And Marie dwellide with hir, as it were thre monethis, and turnede ayen in to hir hous.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and returned home.
57 But the tyme of beryng child was fulfillid to Elizabeth, and sche bare a sone.
Now when the time of Elizabeth’s delivery was come, she gave birth to a son;
58 And the neiyboris and cosyns of hir herden, that the Lord hadde magnyfied his mercy with hir; and thei thankiden hym.
and her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her,
59 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.
and came on the eighth day to circumcise the child. They were about to call him "Zachariah," after his father,
60 And his moder answeride, and seide, Nay, but he schal be clepid Joon.
when his mother said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 And thei seiden to hir, For no man is in thi kynrede, that is clepid this name.
Said they, "You have no relatives of that name!"
62 And thei bikeneden to his fadir, what he wolde that he were clepid.
Then they asked his father by signs what he wished to call the child.
63 And he axynge a poyntil, wroot, seiynge, Joon is his name.
So he asked for a writing tablet and wrote down, "His name is John."
64 And alle men wondriden. And anoon his mouth was openyd, and his tunge, and he spak, and blesside God.
Every one was surprised, and at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 And drede was maad on alle her neiyboris, and alle these wordis weren pupplischid on alle the mounteyns of Judee.
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 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.
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 Zacarie, his fadir, was fulfillid with the Hooli Goost, and prophesiede,
And his father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying.
68 and seide, Blessid be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visitid, and maad redempcioun of his puple.
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, For he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 And he hath rerid to vs an horn of heelthe in the hous of Dauid, his child.
"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 Helthe fro oure enemyes, and fro the hoond of alle men that hatiden vs.
To deliver us from our enemies, and from the power Of all who hate us.
72 To do merci with oure fadris, and to haue mynde of his hooli testament.
"He showed mercy to our forefathers, He remembered his holy covenant,
73 The greet ooth that he swoor to Abraham, oure fadir, to yyue hym silf to vs.
"The oath which he swore to Abraham, our forefather,
74 That we with out drede delyuered fro the hoond of oure enemyes,
"That he we should be delivered out of the Hand of our enemies, And should serve him without fear,
75 serue to hym, in hoolynesse and riytwisnesse bifor hym in alle oure daies.
"In holiness and righteousness before him All our days.
76 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.
"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 yyue scyence of helthe to his puple, in to remyssioun of her synnes;
"To give to his people a knowledge of salvation Through the remission of their sins,
78 bi the inwardnesse of the merci of oure God, in the whiche he spryngynge vp fro an hiy hath visitid vs.
"Through the heart of mercy of our God, Whereby the Dayspring from on high shall visit us,
79 To yyue liyt to hem that sitten in derknessis and in schadewe of deeth; to dresse oure feet in to the weie of pees.
"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 wexide, and was coumfortid in spirit, and was in desert placis `til to the dai of his schewing 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.
