Luke 1
1 Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
Since many have undertaken to compose a history of the things that are fully believed among us,
2 just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
even as they were delivered to us by those who were, from the beginning, eye-witnesses and ministers of the word;
3 Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
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,
4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
that you might know the certainty of the things in which you have been instructed.
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron.
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.
6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
8 One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
It came to pass, while he was officiating as priest before God, in the order of his class, that,
9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense, when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
And all the multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense.
11 Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
And Zachariah was troubled at the sight, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
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.
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
And you shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
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.
16 Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
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.
18 “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
And Zachariah said to the angel: By what sign shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife is advanced in years.
19 “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
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.
20 And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
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.
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
And the people were waiting for Zachariah, and they wondered that he stayed so long in the temple.
22 When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained speechless.
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.
23 And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
And it came to pass, when the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24 After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
And after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself retired for five months, saying:
25 “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
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.
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.
28 The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
And the angel came into her presence, and said: Hail, graciously accepted: the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
And she was perplexed at his words, and reasoned, what this salutation could mean.
30 So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
31 Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
And behold, you shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
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;
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 asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
But Mary said to the angel: How shall this be, since I know not a man?
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
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.
36 Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
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;
37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
for nothing shall be impossible with God.
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.
39 In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
And Mary arose in those days, and went with haste into the mountainous country, into a city of Judah;
40 where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
and she came into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
And it came to pass, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, that the babe in her womb leaped for joy.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
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.
43 And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
For, behold, when the voice of your salutation sounded in my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
And blessed is she who believed; for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which were spoken to her from the Lord.
46 Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior;
48 For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.
for he has looked upon the lowly condition of his handmaid. For, behold, from this time, all generations shall call me blessed;
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
for He that is Mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name:
50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
and his mercy is from generation to generation upon those who fear him.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has done mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in the understanding of their hearts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
He has filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he has sent empty away.
54 He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
He has helped Israel his servant, (as he spoke to our fathers, )
by remembering his mercy to Abraham and to his posterity forever. (aiōn g165)
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
Now the time for Elizabeth to be delivered had fully come; and she gave birth to a son.
58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had showed great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
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.
60 But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
And his mother answered and said: Not so: but he shall be called John.
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
And they said to her: There is no one among your relatives that is called by this name.
62 So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
And they made signs to his father, to know what he wished him to be called.
63 Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: His name is John. And they were all astonished.
64 Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke, and praised God.
65 All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
And fear came on all that dwelt round about them; and all these things were talked of everywhere throughout the mountainous country of Judea.
66 And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
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.
67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
And Zachariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people;
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
and he has raised up for us, in the house of David his servant, a horn of salvation,
(as he spoke by the mouth of all his holy prophets of ancient times, ) (aiōn g165)
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us,
72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
in order to show the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
74 deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
that he would grant to us, that being delivered from the hands of our enemies, we might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
in holiness and righteousness before him, all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
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,
77 to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
by giving to his people the knowledge of salvation in the remission of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
through the tender mercies of our God; by which the dawn from on high has visited us,
79 to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, by guiding our feet in the way of peace.
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.
And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
