< Luke 1 >
1 Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us
2 just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants 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 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 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 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.
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 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 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.
8 One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,
9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
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 at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.
11 Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, 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 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.
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, "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 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over 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 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 Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
Many of the descendants of Israel will 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 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 “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along 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 “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.
"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 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 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 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
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.
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 when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;
24 After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.
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," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called 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 maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary.
28 The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.
30 So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, 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 Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to 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 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 will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” (aiōn )
and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." (aiōn )
34 “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
"How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"
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.
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 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 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 no word from God will ever fail.”
For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment."
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left 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 In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.
40 where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt within her. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed, “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 why am I so honored, 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 as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."
46 Then 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 with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will 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 the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--
50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
And His compassion is, generation after 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 manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men of low estate.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich He has sent empty-handed away.
54 He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compassion--
55 as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” (aiōn )
In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers--For Abraham and his posterity for ever." (aiōn )
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.
57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, 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 neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had great compassion on 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 on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
60 But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
"There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."
62 So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.
63 Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
64 Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless God.
65 All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
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 who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand 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 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in a rapture of praise.
68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because 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 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of David His servant--
70 as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past, (aiōn )
As He has spoken from all time by the lips of His holy Prophets-- (aiōn )
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.
72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,
73 the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,
74 deliverance from hostile hands, that we may 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 the days of our lives.
In piety and uprightness 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 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 to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
To give to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness 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 compassion of our God, Through which the daybreak from on high will come to 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.”
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 lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance 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.