Luke 1
1 Forasmuch as many have undertaken to draw up a relation concerning the matters fully believed among us,
Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 as those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses of and attendants on the Word have delivered them to us,
just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 it has seemed good to me also, accurately acquainted from the origin with all things, to write to thee with method, most excellent Theophilus,
Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that thou mightest know the certainty of those things in which thou hast been instructed.
so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
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.
6 And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8 And it came to pass, as he fulfilled his priestly service before God in the order of his course,
One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And all the multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense.
And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11 And an angel of [the] Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zacharias was troubled, seeing [him], and fear fell upon him.
When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
13 But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias, because thy supplication has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
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.
14 And he shall be to thee joy and rejoicing, and many shall rejoice at his birth.
He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 For he shall be great before [the] Lord, and he shall drink no 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. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
16 And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to [the] Lord their God.
Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in [the] spirit and power of Elias, to turn hearts of fathers to children, and disobedient ones to [the] thoughts of just [men], to make ready for [the] Lord a prepared people.
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.”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife advanced in years?
“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19 And the angel answering, said to him, I am Gabriel, who stand before God, and I have been sent to speak to thee, and to bring these glad tidings to thee;
“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.
20 and behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, till the day in which these things shall take place, because thou hast not believed my words, the which shall be fulfilled in their time.
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.”
21 And the people were awaiting Zacharias, and they wondered at his delaying in the temple.
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
22 But when he came out he could not speak to them, and they recognised that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, and continued dumb.
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.
23 And it came to pass, when the days of his service were completed, he departed to his house.
And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
24 Now after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
25 Thus has [the] Lord done to me in [these] days in which he looked upon [me] to take away my reproach among men.
“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
26 But in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent of God to a city of Galilee, of which [the] name [was] Nazareth,
In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel 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 virgin's name [was] Mary.
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.
28 And the angel came in to her, and said, Hail, [thou] favoured one! the Lord [is] with thee: [blessed art thou amongst women].
The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 But she, [seeing] [the angel], was troubled at his word, and reasoned in her mind what this salutation might be.
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God;
So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called Son of [the] Highest; and [the] Lord God shall give him the throne of David his father;
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,
33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for the ages, and of his kingdom there shall not be an end. (aiōn g165)
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never 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 asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answering said to her, [The] Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and power of [the] Highest overshadow thee, wherefore the holy thing also which shall be born shall be called Son of God.
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.
36 And behold, Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her that was called barren:
Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
37 for nothing shall be impossible with God.
For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 And Mary said, Behold the bondmaid of [the] Lord; be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
39 And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
40 and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth.
where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it came to pass, as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with [the] Holy Spirit,
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 and cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed [art] thou amongst women, and blessed the fruit of thy womb.
In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For behold, as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped with joy in my womb.
For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 And blessed [is] she that has believed, for there shall be a fulfilment of the things spoken to her from [the] Lord.
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
46 And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord,
Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he has looked upon the low estate of his bondmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done to me great things, and holy [is] his name;
For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
50 and his mercy [is] to generations and generations to them that fear him.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
51 He has wrought strength with his arm; he has scattered haughty [ones] in the thought of their heart.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has put down rulers from thrones, and exalted the lowly.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent away the rich empty.
He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped Israel his servant, in order to remember mercy,
He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
57 But the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth that she should bring forth, and she gave birth to a son.
When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
58 And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that [the] Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.
Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called it after the name of his father, Zacharias.
On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
60 And his mother answering said, No; but he shall be called John.
But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
61 And they said to her, There is no one among thy kinsfolk who is called by this name.
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
62 And they made signs to his father as to what he might wish it to be called.
So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
63 And having asked for a writing-table, he wrote saying, John is his name. And they all wondered.
Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he spake, blessing God.
Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 And fear came upon all who dwelt round about them; and in the whole hill-country of Judaea all these things were the subject of conversation.
All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
66 And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then will this child be? And [the] Lord's hand was with him.
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.
67 And Zacharias his father was filled with [the] Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 Blessed be [the] Lord the God of Israel, because he has visited and wrought redemption for his people,
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
69 and raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of David his servant;
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70 as he spoke by [the] mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began; (aiōn g165)
as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past, (aiōn g165)
71 deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us;
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 to fulfil mercy with our fathers and remember his holy covenant,
to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 [the] oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 to give us, that, saved out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear
deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
75 in piety and righteousness before him all our days.
in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called [the] prophet of [the] Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of [the] Lord to make ready his ways;
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,
77 to give knowledge of deliverance to his people by [the] remission of their sins
to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 on account of [the] bowels of mercy of our God; wherein [the] dayspring from on high has visited us,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
79 to shine upon them who were sitting in darkness and in [the] shadow of death, to guide our feet into [the] way of peace.
to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
80 — And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit; and he was in the deserts until the day of his shewing to Israel.
And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.
