Luke 1
1 Given that many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those things that really did take place among us,
Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as those who became eyewitnesses, from the beginning, and ministers of the Word delivered them to us,
just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 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,
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 so that you may know the certainty of the things in which you were instructed.
so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5 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.
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 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and they both were well advanced in years.
But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8 Now it happened, as he was officiating as priest before God in the order of his division,
One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, that his lot was to burn incense, upon entering the sanctuary of the Lord;
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 and the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side 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 upon seeing him Zacharias was shaken, and a fear fell upon him.
When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
13 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.
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 you will have joy and exultation, and many will rejoice over his birth.
He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 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.
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 he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God;
Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
17 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.”
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 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.”
“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 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.
“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 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.”
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 Now the people were waiting for Zacharias and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary.
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
22 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.
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 so, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he took off for home.
And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
24 Well after those days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and stayed in seclusion five months. She kept saying,
After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
25 “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!”
“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of Galilee named Natsareth,
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; 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 So upon entering where she was the angel said, “Rejoice, recipient of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 But upon seeing him she was perplexed at his word and was trying to figure out what sort of greeting it might be.
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 The angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God.
So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 Now then, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son, and you shall 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 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,
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 will reign over the house of Jacob into the ages; indeed, of His kingdom there will be no end!” (aiōn g165)
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” (aiōn g165)
34 So Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I do not know a man?”
“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 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’!
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 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;
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 because any word spoken by God will be possible.”
For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 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.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
39 Then Mary quickly got ready and went into the hill country in those days, to a town of Judah,
In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
40 and entered the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.
where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 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.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 And she cried out with a great voice and said: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Fruit of your womb!
In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 Why am I so favored 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 Yes indeed, because as the sound of your salutation came into my ears the babe bounced up and down in my womb for joy.
For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 Blessed is she who believed, because there will be a fulfillment of the things that have been spoken to her from the Lord.”
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
46 So Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit has exulted over God my Savior,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 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,
For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 in that the Mighty One did sublime things for me, and Holy is His name.
For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
50 His mercy is for generations of generations to those fearing Him.
His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
51 He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has dispersed the arrogant in the reasoning of their hearts.
He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has dethroned rulers 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 the rich away empty.
He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has taken the part of His servant Israel, in remembrance of 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 So Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
57 Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth was completed and she bore a son.
When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had used His great 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 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.
On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
60 His mother reacted and said, “Absolutely not; he shall be called John!”
But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
61 So they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
62 So they started motioning to his father, as to what he would have him called.
So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
63 Asking for a writing tablet he wrote this: “His name is to be John!” They all marveled.
Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed and he started to speak, blessing God.
Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 (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.
All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
66 All who heard kept them in their hearts saying, “What then will this child be?” And the hand of the Lord 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 Now his father Zacharias was filled with 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 provided redemption for His people;
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
69 and has raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of His servant David
He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
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 use mercy with our fathers, even to remember His Holy covenant,
to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 the oath that He swore to our father Abraham;
the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 to grant to us (having been rescued from the hand of our enemies) to serve Him without fear,
deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
76 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,
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 a knowledge of salvation to His people by the forgiveness of their sins,
to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 through the merciful compassions of our God, with which the divine Dawn has contemplated us,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
79 to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and 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 So the child kept growing and being strengthened in spirit, and he stayed in uninhabited areas until the day of his manifestation 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.
