lUkaH 1
1 prathamatO yE sAkSiNO vAkyapracArakAzcAsan tE'smAkaM madhyE yadyat sapramANaM vAkyamarpayanti sma
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 tadanusAratO'nyEpi bahavastadvRttAntaM racayituM pravRttAH|
just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterward became bearers of the message.
3 ataEva hE mahAmahimathiyaphil tvaM yA yAH kathA azikSyathAstAsAM dRPhapramANAni yathA prApnOSi
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 tadarthaM prathamamArabhya tAni sarvvANi jnjAtvAhamapi anukramAt sarvvavRttAntAn tubhyaM lEkhituM matimakArSam|
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 yihUdAdEzIyahErOdnAmakE rAjatvaM kurvvati abIyayAjakasya paryyAyAdhikArI sikhariyanAmaka EkO yAjakO hArONavaMzOdbhavA ilIzEvAkhyA
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 tasya jAyA dvAvimau nirdOSau prabhOH sarvvAjnjA vyavasthAzca saMmanya IzvaradRSTau dhArmmikAvAstAm|
They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 tayOH santAna EkOpi nAsIt, yata ilIzEvA bandhyA tau dvAvEva vRddhAvabhavatAm|
But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
8 yadA svaparyyAnukramENa sikhariya IzvAsya samakSaM yAjakIyaM karmma karOti
One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his division,
9 tadA yajnjasya dinaparipAyyA paramEzvarasya mandirE pravEzakAlE dhUpajvAlanaM karmma tasya karaNIyamAsIt|
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 taddhUpajvAlanakAlE lOkanivahE prArthanAM kartuM bahistiSThati
and, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
11 sati sikhariyO yasyAM vEdyAM dhUpaM jvAlayati taddakSiNapArzvE paramEzvarasya dUta Eka upasthitO darzanaM dadau|
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense.
12 taM dRSTvA sikhariya udvivijE zazagkE ca|
Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.
13 tadA sa dUtastaM babhASE hE sikhariya mA bhaistava prArthanA grAhyA jAtA tava bhAryyA ilIzEvA putraM prasOSyatE tasya nAma yOhan iti kariSyasi|
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 kinjca tvaM sAnandaH saharSazca bhaviSyasi tasya janmani bahava AnandiSyanti ca|
He will be to you a joy and a delight; and many will rejoice over his birth.
15 yatO hEtOH sa paramEzvarasya gOcarE mahAn bhaviSyati tathA drAkSArasaM surAM vA kimapi na pAsyati, aparaM janmArabhya pavitrENAtmanA paripUrNaH
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 san isrAyElvaMzIyAn anEkAn prabhOH paramEzvarasya mArgamAnESyati|
and will reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their God.
17 santAnAn prati pitRNAM manAMsi dharmmajnjAnaM pratyanAjnjAgrAhiNazca parAvarttayituM, prabhOH paramEzvarasya sEvArtham EkAM sajjitajAtiM vidhAtunjca sa EliyarUpAtmazaktiprAptastasyAgrE gamiSyati|
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 tadA sikhariyO dUtamavAdIt kathamEtad vEtsyAmi? yatOhaM vRddhO mama bhAryyA ca vRddhA|
“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 tatO dUtaH pratyuvAca pazyEzvarasya sAkSAdvarttI jibrAyElnAmA dUtOhaM tvayA saha kathAM gadituM tubhyamimAM zubhavArttAM dAtunjca prESitaH|
“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 kintu madIyaM vAkyaM kAlE phaliSyati tat tvayA na pratItam ataH kAraNAd yAvadEva tAni na sEtsyanti tAvat tvaM vaktuMmazaktO mUkO bhava|
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 tadAnIM yE yE lOkAH sikhariyamapaikSanta tE madhyEmandiraM tasya bahuvilambAd AzcaryyaM mEnirE|
Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple.
22 sa bahirAgatO yadA kimapi vAkyaM vaktumazaktaH sagkEtaM kRtvA niHzabdastasyau tadA madhyEmandiraM kasyacid darzanaM tEna prAptam iti sarvvE bubudhirE|
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 anantaraM tasya sEvanaparyyAyE sampUrNE sati sa nijagEhaM jagAma|
And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.
24 katipayadinESu gatESu tasya bhAryyA ilIzEvA garbbhavatI babhUva
After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months.
25 pazcAt sA panjcamAsAn saMgOpyAkathayat lOkAnAM samakSaM mamApamAnaM khaNPayituM paramEzvarO mayi dRSTiM pAtayitvA karmmEdRzaM kRtavAn|
“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 aparanjca tasyA garbbhasya SaSThE mAsE jAtE gAlIlpradEzIyanAsaratpurE
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 dAyUdO vaMzIyAya yUSaphnAmnE puruSAya yA mariyamnAmakumArI vAgdattAsIt tasyAH samIpaM jibrAyEl dUta IzvarENa prahitaH|
to a maiden there who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 sa gatvA jagAda hE IzvarAnugRhItakanyE tava zubhaM bhUyAt prabhuH paramEzvarastava sahAyOsti nArINAM madhyE tvamEva dhanyA|
Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying, “You have been shown great favor – the Lord is with you.”
29 tadAnIM sA taM dRSTvA tasya vAkyata udvijya kIdRzaM bhASaNamidam iti manasA cintayAmAsa|
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,
30 tatO dUtO'vadat hE mariyam bhayaM mAkArSIH, tvayi paramEzvarasyAnugrahOsti|
when the angel spoke again, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 pazya tvaM garbbhaM dhRtvA putraM prasOSyasE tasya nAma yIzuriti kariSyasi|
And now, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus.
32 sa mahAn bhaviSyati tathA sarvvEbhyaH zrESThasya putra iti khyAsyati; aparaM prabhuH paramEzvarastasya piturdAyUdaH siMhAsanaM tasmai dAsyati;
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 tathA sa yAkUbO vaMzOpari sarvvadA rAjatvaM kariSyati, tasya rAjatvasyAntO na bhaviSyati| (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 tadA mariyam taM dUtaM babhASE nAhaM puruSasaggaM karOmi tarhi kathamEtat sambhaviSyati?
“How can this be?” Mary asked the angel. “For I have no husband.”
35 tatO dUtO'kathayat pavitra AtmA tvAmAzrAyiSyati tathA sarvvazrESThasya zaktistavOpari chAyAM kariSyati tatO hEtOstava garbbhAd yaH pavitrabAlakO janiSyatE sa Izvaraputra iti khyAtiM prApsyati|
“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 aparanjca pazya tava jnjAtirilIzEvA yAM sarvvE bandhyAmavadan idAnIM sA vArddhakyE santAnamEkaM garbbhE'dhArayat tasya SaSThamAsObhUt|
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 kimapi karmma nAsAdhyam Izvarasya|
for no promise from God will fail to be fulfilled.”
38 tadA mariyam jagAda, pazya prabhErahaM dAsI mahyaM tava vAkyAnusArENa sarvvamEtad ghaTatAm; ananataraM dUtastasyAH samIpAt pratasthE|
“I am the servant of the Lord,” exclaimed Mary. “Let it be with me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
39 atha katipayadinAt paraM mariyam tasmAt parvvatamayapradEzIyayihUdAyA nagaramEkaM zIghraM gatvA
Soon after this Mary set out, and made her way quickly into the hill-country, to a town in Judah;
40 sikhariyayAjakasya gRhaM pravizya tasya jAyAm ilIzEvAM sambOdhyAvadat|
and there she went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
41 tatO mariyamaH sambOdhanavAkyE ilIzEvAyAH karNayOH praviSTamAtrE sati tasyA garbbhasthabAlakO nanartta| tata ilIzEvA pavitrENAtmanA paripUrNA satI
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child moved within her, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 prOccairgaditumArEbhE, yOSitAM madhyE tvamEva dhanyA, tava garbbhasthaH zizuzca dhanyaH|
and cried aloud, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 tvaM prabhOrmAtA, mama nivEzanE tvayA caraNAvarpitau, mamAdya saubhAgyamEtat|
But how have I this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 pazya tava vAkyE mama karNayOH praviSTamAtrE sati mamOdarasthaH zizurAnandAn nanartta|
For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!
45 yA strI vyazvasIt sA dhanyA, yatO hEtOstAM prati paramEzvarOktaM vAkyaM sarvvaM siddhaM bhaviSyati|
Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.”
46 tadAnIM mariyam jagAda| dhanyavAdaM parEzasya karOti mAmakaM manaH|
And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
47 mamAtmA tArakEzE ca samullAsaM pragacchati|
and my spirit delights in God my Savior,
48 akarOt sa prabhu rduSTiM svadAsyA durgatiM prati| pazyAdyArabhya mAM dhanyAM vakSyanti puruSAH sadA|
for he has looked with favor on his humble servant girl. From now on all generations will call me blessed!
49 yaH sarvvazaktimAn yasya nAmApi ca pavitrakaM| sa Eva sumahatkarmma kRtavAn mannimittakaM|
“For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 yE bibhyati janAstasmAt tESAM santAnapaMktiSu| anukampA tadIyA ca sarvvadaiva sutiSThati|
He has mercy on those who revere him in every generation.
51 svabAhubalatastEna prAkAzyata parAkramaH| manaHkumantraNAsArddhaM vikIryyantE'bhimAninaH|
“Mighty are the deeds of his arm! He has scattered the self-satisfied proud,
52 siMhAsanagatAllOkAn balinazcAvarOhya saH| padESUccESu lOkAMstu kSudrAn saMsthApayatyapi|
he has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and he uplifts the humble,
53 kSudhitAn mAnavAn dravyairuttamaiH paritarpya saH| sakalAn dhaninO lOkAn visRjEd riktahastakAn|
he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 ibrAhImi ca tadvaMzE yA dayAsti sadaiva tAM| smRtvA purA pitRNAM nO yathA sAkSAt pratizrutaM| (aiōn g165)
“He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, ever mindful of his mercy,
55 isrAyElsEvakastEna tathOpakriyatE svayaM||
as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants for ever.” (aiōn g165)
56 anantaraM mariyam prAyENa mAsatrayam ilIzEvayA sahOSitvA vyAghuyya nijanivEzanaM yayau|
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
57 tadanantaram ilIzEvAyAH prasavakAla upasthitE sati sA putraM prAsOSTa|
When Elizabeth’s time came, she gave birth to a son;
58 tataH paramEzvarastasyAM mahAnugrahaM kRtavAn Etat zrutvA samIpavAsinaH kuTumbAzcAgatya tayA saha mumudirE|
and her neighbors and relatives, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy.
59 tathASTamE dinE tE bAlakasya tvacaM chEttum Etya tasya pitRnAmAnurUpaM tannAma sikhariya iti karttumISuH|
A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him Zechariah after his father,
60 kintu tasya mAtAkathayat tanna, nAmAsya yOhan iti karttavyam|
when his mother spoke up, “No, he is to be called John.”
61 tadA tE vyAharan tava vaMzamadhyE nAmEdRzaM kasyApi nAsti|
“You have no relation of that name!” they exclaimed;
62 tataH paraM tasya pitaraM sikhariyaM prati sagkEtya papracchuH zizOH kiM nAma kAriSyatE?
and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.
63 tataH sa phalakamEkaM yAcitvA lilEkha tasya nAma yOhan bhaviSyati| tasmAt sarvvE AzcaryyaM mEnirE|
Asking for a writing tablet, he wrote the words – ‘His name is John.’ Everyone was surprised
64 tatkSaNaM sikhariyasya jihvAjAPyE'pagatE sa mukhaM vyAdAya spaSTavarNamuccAryya Izvarasya guNAnuvAdaM cakAra|
and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God.
65 tasmAccaturdiksthAH samIpavAsilOkA bhItA EvamEtAH sarvvAH kathA yihUdAyAH parvvatamayapradEzasya sarvvatra pracAritAH|
All their neighbors were awe-struck at this, and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about.
66 tasmAt zrOtArO manaHsu sthApayitvA kathayAmbabhUvuH kIdRzOyaM bAlO bhaviSyati? atha paramEzvarastasya sahAyObhUt|
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 tadA yOhanaH pitA sikhariyaH pavitrENAtmanA paripUrNaH san EtAdRzaM bhaviSyadvAkyaM kathayAmAsa|
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:
68 isrAyElaH prabhu ryastu sa dhanyaH paramEzvaraH| anugRhya nijAllOkAn sa Eva parimOcayEt|
“Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,
69 vipakSajanahastEbhyO yathA mOcyAmahE vayaM| yAvajjIvanjca dharmmENa sAralyEna ca nirbhayAH|
and has raised up for us the strength of our salvation in the house of his servant David –
70 sEvAmahai tamEvaikam EtatkAraNamEva ca| svakIyaM supavitranjca saMsmRtya niyamaM sadA|
as he promised by the lips of his holy prophets of old – (aiōn g165)
71 kRpayA puruSAn pUrvvAn nikaSArthAttu naH pituH| ibrAhImaH samIpE yaM zapathaM kRtavAn purA|
salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us,
72 tamEva saphalaM karttaM tathA zatrugaNasya ca| RtIyAkAriNazcaiva karEbhyO rakSaNAya naH|
showing mercy to our ancestors, and mindful of his sacred covenant.
This was the oath which he swore to our ancestor Abraham –
74 yathOktavAn tathA svasya dAyUdaH sEvakasya tu|
that we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,
75 vaMzE trAtAramEkaM sa samutpAditavAn svayam|
and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, in his presence all our days.
76 atO hE bAlaka tvantu sarvvEbhyaH zrESTha Eva yaH| tasyaiva bhAvivAdIti pravikhyAtO bhaviSyasi| asmAkaM caraNAn kSEmE mArgE cAlayituM sadA| EvaM dhvAntE'rthatO mRtyOzchAyAyAM yE tu mAnavAH|
And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his way,
77 upaviSTAstu tAnEva prakAzayitumEva hi| kRtvA mahAnukampAM hi yAmEva paramEzvaraH|
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 UrdvvAt sUryyamudAyyaivAsmabhyaM prAdAttu darzanaM| tayAnukampayA svasya lOkAnAM pApamOcanE|
through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn will break on us from heaven,
79 paritrANasya tEbhyO hi jnjAnavizrANanAya ca| prabhO rmArgaM pariSkarttuM tasyAgrAyI bhaviSyasi||
to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 atha bAlakaH zarIrENa buddhyA ca varddhitumArEbhE; aparanjca sa isrAyElO vaMzIyalOkAnAM samIpE yAvanna prakaTIbhUtastAstAvat prAntarE nyavasat|
The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilds until the time came for his appearance before Israel.
