Luke 1
1 Since many have undertaken to compose a history of the things that are fully believed among us,
Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us
2 even as they were delivered to us by those who were, from the beginning, eye-witnesses and ministers of the word;
on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,
3 it seemed good to me also, having obtained exact information of all things from the very first, to write them in order for you, most excellent Theophilus,
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,
4 that you might know the certainty of the things in which you have been instructed.
that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.
5 There was, in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest, named Zachariah, of the class of Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
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.
6 They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless.
They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.
7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.
8 It came to pass, while he was officiating as priest before God, in the order of his class, that,
Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,
9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense, when he went into the temple of the Lord.
it fell to his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood--to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense;
10 And all the multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense.
and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at 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 Zachariah was troubled at the sight, and fear fell upon him.
and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.
13 But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachariah; for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
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.
14 And you shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.
Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth.
15 For he shall be great before the Lord; and he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
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.
16 And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient, by the wisdom of the just, in order to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.
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."
18 And Zachariah said to the angel: By what sign shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife is advanced in years.
"By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."
19 And the angel answered and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I am sent to speak to you, and to announce to you this good news.
"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.
20 And behold, you shall be dumb and not able to speak, till the day in which these things shall take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their proper time.
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."
21 And the people were waiting for Zachariah, and they wondered that he stayed so long in the temple.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
22 But when he came out, he was not able to speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them, and remained speechless.
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.
23 And it came to pass, when the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;
24 And after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself retired for five months, saying:
and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.
25 Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days in which he has looked with regard upon me, to take away my reproach among men.
"Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."
26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.
to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary.
28 And the angel came into her presence, and said: Hail, graciously accepted: the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.
So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."
29 And she was perplexed at his words, and reasoned, what this salutation could mean.
She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.
30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
31 And behold, you shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of David his father;
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;
33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (aiōn g165)
and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." (aiōn g165)
34 But Mary said to the angel: How shall this be, since I know not a man?
"How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"
35 And the angel answered and said to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for which reason, also, that which is begotten, being holy, shall be called the Son of God.
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.'
36 And behold, Elizabeth your kinswoman, even she has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who is called barren;
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.
37 for nothing shall be impossible with God.
For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment."
38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.
"I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went with haste into the mountainous country, into a city of Judah;
Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.
40 and she came into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth.
Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;
41 And it came to pass, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, that the babe in her womb leaped for joy.
and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt within her. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke with a loud voice, and said: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
and uttered a loud cry of joy. "Blest among women are you," she said, "and the offspring of your body is blest!
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, behold, when the voice of your salutation sounded in my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.
For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.
45 And blessed is she who believed; for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which were spoken to her from the Lord.
And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."
46 And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord,
Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior;
And my spirit triumphs in God my Saviour;
48 for he has looked upon the lowly condition of his handmaid. For, behold, from this time, all generations shall call me blessed;
Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,
49 for He that is Mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name:
Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--
50 and his mercy is from generation to generation upon those who fear him.
And His compassion is, generation after generation, Upon those who fear Him.
51 He has done mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in the understanding of their hearts.
He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.
He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men of low estate.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he has sent empty away.
The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich He has sent empty-handed away.
54 He has helped Israel his servant, (as he spoke to our fathers, )
His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compassion--
In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers--For Abraham and his posterity for ever." (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.
57 Now the time for Elizabeth to be delivered had fully come; and she gave birth to a son.
Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, she gave birth to a son;
58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had showed great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
and her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had great compassion on her; and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they called him by the name of his father, Zachariah.
And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
60 And his mother answered and said: Not so: but he shall be called John.
His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 And they said to her: There is no one among your relatives that is called by this name.
"There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."
62 And they made signs to his father, to know what he wished him to be called.
They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.
63 And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: His name is John. And they were all astonished.
So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
64 And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke, and praised God.
Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless God.
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them; and all these things were talked of everywhere throughout the mountainous country of Judea.
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.
66 And all that heard them, laid them up in their hearts, and said: What, then, will this child be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.
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.
67 And Zachariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in a rapture of praise.
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people;
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel," he said, "Because He has not forgotten His people but has effected redemption for them,
69 and he has raised up for us, in the house of David his servant, a horn of salvation,
And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of David His servant--
As He has spoken from all time by the lips of His holy Prophets-- (aiōn g165)
71 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us,
To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.
72 in order to show the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,
He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,
74 that he would grant to us, that being delivered from the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear,
To grant us to be rescued from the power of our foes And so render worship to Him free from fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him, all our days.
In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.
76 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High; for you shall go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways,
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,
77 by giving to his people the knowledge of salvation in the remission of their sins,
To give to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins,
78 through the tender mercies of our God; by which the dawn from on high has visited us,
Through the tender compassion of our God, Through which the daybreak from on high will come to us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, by guiding our feet in the way of peace.
Dawning on those who now dwell in the darkness and shadow of death--To direct our feet into the path of peace."
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
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.
