Luke 1
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us;
Given that many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those things that really did take place among us,
2 According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word:
just as those who became eyewitnesses, from the beginning, and ministers of the Word delivered them to us,
3 It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
it seemed good to me also, most excellent Theophilus, having taken careful note of everything from Above, to write to you with precision and in sequence,
4 That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.
so that you may know the certainty of the things in which you were instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
In the days of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame.
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and they both were well advanced in years.
8 And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God,
Now it happened, as he was officiating as priest before God in the order of his division,
9 According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord.
according to the custom of the priesthood, that his lot was to burn incense, upon entering the sanctuary of the Lord;
10 And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense.
and the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the alter of incense.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense;
12 And Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
and upon seeing him Zacharias was shaken, and a fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is 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, Zacharias, because your prayer was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice in his nativity.
And you will have joy and exultation, and many will rejoice over his birth.
15 For he shall be great before the Lord; and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must not drink either wine or strong drink; indeed, he will be filled with Holy Spirit already from his mother's womb.
16 And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God;
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias; that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people.
in fact he himself will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of fathers to children’ and the disobedient to the mindset of the righteous, to prepare a people made ready for the Lord.”
18 And Zachary said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.
But Zacharias said to the angel: “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 And the angel answering, said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God: and am sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee these good tidings.
So in answer the angel said to him: “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news.
20 And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time.
Now look, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day in which these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 And the people were waiting for Zachary; and they wondered that he tarried so long in the temple.
Now the people were waiting for Zacharias and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he made signs to them, and remained dumb.
But when he came out he was unable to speak to them, and they understood that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary—he kept gesturing to them while remaining mute.
23 And it came to pass, after the days of his office were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
And so, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he took off for home.
24 And after those days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying:
Well after those days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and stayed in seclusion five months. She kept saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he hath had regard to take away my reproach among men.
“So that's what the Lord has done for me in the days when He concerned Himself to take away my reproach among the people!”
26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee named Natsareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, 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; the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
So upon entering where she was the angel said, “Rejoice, recipient of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.
But upon seeing him she was perplexed at his word and was trying to figure out what sort of greeting it might be.
30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.
The angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God.
31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
Now then, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father;
He will be great, and will be called ‘Son of the Most High’; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
33 and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. (aiōn g165)
and He will reign over the house of Jacob into the ages; indeed, of His kingdom there will be no end!” (aiōn g165)
34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?
So Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
In answer the angel said to her: “Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will hover over you; precisely for this reason the holy One who is to be born will be called ‘Son of God’!
36 And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren:
Furthermore, your relative Elizabeth, she has actually conceived a son in her old age and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren;
37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.
because any word spoken by God will be possible.”
38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
So Mary said: “Yes, I am the Lord's slave! Let it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.
Then Mary quickly got ready and went into the hill country in those days, to a town of Judah,
40 And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.
and entered the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.
41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
Well it happened that as Elizabeth heard Mary's salutation the babe bounced up and down in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with Holy Spirit.
42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
And she cried out with a great voice and said: “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?
Why am I so favored that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
Yes indeed, because as the sound of your salutation came into my ears the babe bounced up and down in my womb for joy.
45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.
Blessed is she who believed, because there will be a fulfillment of the things that have been spoken to her from the Lord.”
46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.
So Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
and my spirit has exulted over God my Savior,
48 Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
in that He paid attention to the humble station of His slave (f). Yes indeed, because from now on all generations will declare me to be highly favored,
49 Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
in that the Mighty One did sublime things for me, and Holy is His name.
50 And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
His mercy is for generations of generations to those fearing Him.
51 He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has dispersed the arrogant in the reasoning of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
He has dethroned rulers and exalted the lowly.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
54 He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:
He has taken the part of His servant Israel, in remembrance of mercy,
just as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed while there is an age.” (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house.
So Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her house.
57 Now Elizabeth’s full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son.
Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth was completed and she bore a son.
58 And her neighbours and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her, and they congratulated with her.
Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had used His great mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father’s name Zachary.
So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child, and they started calling him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
60 And his mother answering, said: Not so; but he shall be called John.
His mother reacted and said, “Absolutely not; he shall be called John!”
61 And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
So they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
So they started motioning to his father, as to what he would have him called.
63 And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.
Asking for a writing tablet he wrote this: “His name is to be John!” They all marveled.
64 And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed and he started to speak, blessing God.
65 And fear came upon all their neighbours; and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea.
(Well a fear came on all who lived around them; and all these sayings kept being talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
All who heard kept them in their hearts saying, “What then will this child be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.)
67 And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost; and he prophesied, saying:
Now his father Zacharias was filled with Holy Spirit and prophesied saying:
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people:
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and provided redemption for His people;
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant:
and has raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of His servant David
—just as He spoke through the mouth of His holy prophets from antiquity— (aiōn g165)
71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us:
deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us;
72 To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament,
to use mercy with our fathers, even to remember His Holy covenant,
73 The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us,
the oath that He swore to our father Abraham;
74 That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear,
to grant to us (having been rescued from the hand of our enemies) to serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and justice before him, all our days.
in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:
And you, child, will be called Prophet of the Most High, because you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins:
to give a knowledge of salvation to His people by the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:
through the merciful compassions of our God, with which the divine Dawn has contemplated us,
79 To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.
to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit; and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
So the child kept growing and being strengthened in spirit, and he stayed in uninhabited areas until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
