Luke 1
1 Forasmuch as many haue taken in hand to set foorth the storie of those things, whereof we are fully persuaded,
As you know, many others have attempted to put down in writing the things that have been fulfilled that involve us.
2 As they haue deliuered them vnto vs, which from the beginning saw them their selues, and were ministers of ye word,
They based their accounts on evidence from the earliest eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word,
3 It seemed good also to me (most noble Theophilus) assoone as I had searched out perfectly all things from the beginning, to write vnto thee thereof from point to point,
and so I also decided that since I have followed these things very carefully from the beginning, it would be a good idea to write out an accurate account of all that happened.
4 That thou mightest acknowledge the certaintie of those things, whereof thou hast bene instructed.
I have done this dear Theophilus so you can be certain that what you were taught is completely reliable.
5 In the time of Herod King of Iudea, there was a certaine Priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabet.
During the time when Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest called Zechariah, who came from the Abijah priestly division. He was married to Elizabeth, who was also descended from Aaron the priest.
6 Both were iust before God, and walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord, without reproofe.
They both did what was right before God, being careful to follow all the Lord's commandments and regulations.
7 And they had no childe, because that Elisabet was barren: and both were well stricken in age.
They had no children because Elizabeth wasn't able to have any, and they were both growing old.
8 And it came to passe, as he executed the Priestes office before God, as his course came in order,
While Zechariah was serving as a priest before God, on behalf of his priestly division,
9 According to the custome of the Priests office, his lot was to burne incense, when he went into the Temple of the Lord.
he was chosen by lot according to priestly custom to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were without in prayer, while the incense was burning.
During the time of offering incense a large crowd of people were praying outside.
11 Then appeared vnto him an Angel of the Lord standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
An angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias sawe him, he was troubled, and feare fell vpon him.
When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and became terrified.
13 But the Angel saide vnto him, Feare not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard, and thy wise Elisabet shall beare thee a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iohn.
But the angel told him, “Don't be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call him John.
14 And thou shalt haue ioy and gladnes, and many shall reioyce at his birth.
He will bring you joy and gladness, and many will celebrate his birth.
15 For he shalbe great in the sight of the Lord, and shall neither drinke wine, nor strong drinke: and he shalbe filled with the holy Ghost, euen from his mothers wombe.
He will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will refuse to drink wine or other alcoholic drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he's born.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turne to their Lord God.
He will turn many Israelites back to the Lord their God.
17 For he shall goe before him in the spirite and power of Elias, to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisedome of the iust men, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
He will go ahead of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the fathers back to thinking about their children, and to turn those who are rebellious back to a right understanding—to prepare a people ready for the Lord.”
18 Then Zacharias said vnto ye Angel, Whereby shall I knowe this? for I am an olde man, and my wife is of a great age.
“How can I be sure about this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I'm an old man, and my wife is getting old too.”
19 And the Angell answered, and sayde vnto him, I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speake vnto thee, and to shew thee these good tidings.
“I am Gabriel,” the angel replied. “I stand in God's presence, and I was sent to speak to you and give you this good news.
20 And beholde, thou shalt be domme, and not be able to speake, vntill the day that these things be done, because thou beleeuedst not my words, which shalbe fulfilled in their season.
But since you didn't believe what I told you, you'll become dumb, unable to speak, until the appointed time when my words come true.”
21 Now the people waited for Zacharias, and marueiled that he taried so long in the Temple.
Outside the people were waiting for Zechariah, wondering why he was taking so long in the Temple.
22 And when hee came out, hee coulde not speake vnto them: then they perceiued that hee had seene a vision in the Temple: For he made signes vnto them, and remained domme.
When eventually he came out, he wasn't able to speak to them. They realized he'd seen a vision in the Temple, for though he could make gestures, he was completely dumb.
23 And it came to passe, when the daies of his office were fulfilled, that he departed to his owne house.
After he'd finished his time of service, he went back home.
24 And after those daies, his wife Elisabet conceiued, and hid her selfe fiue moneths, saying,
Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. She stayed at home for five months.
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, in the daies wherein he looked on me, to take from me my rebuke among men.
“The Lord has done this for me,” she said, “now that he's taken away my disgrace in the eyes of others.”
26 And in the sixth moneth, the Angell Gabriel was sent from God vnto a citie of Galile, named Nazareth,
In the sixth month of her pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a young girl called Mary who lived in the town of Nazareth in Galilee.
27 To a virgin affianced to a man whose name was Ioseph, of the house of Dauid, and the virgins name was Marie.
She was engaged to a man named Joseph.
28 And the Angel went in vnto her, and said, Haile thou that art freely beloued: the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
The angel greeted her. “You are very privileged,” he told her. “The Lord is with you.”
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and thought what maner of salutation that should be.
Mary was very puzzled at what he said, and wondered what this greeting meant.
30 Then the Angel saide vnto her, Feare not, Marie: for thou hast found fauour with God.
“Don't worry, Mary,” the angel went on, “for God has shown his graciousness to you.
31 For loe, thou shalt conceiue in thy wobe, and beare a sonne, and shalt call his name Iesus.
You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You shall call him Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Sonne of the most High, and the Lord God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid.
He will be very great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
33 And hee shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer, and of his kingdome shall bee none ende. (aiōn g165)
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never come to an end.” (aiōn g165)
34 Then sayde Marie vnto the Angel, How shall this be, seeing I knowe not man?
“How is this possible?” Mary asked. “I'm still a virgin.”
35 And the Angel answered, and said vnto her, The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee, and the power of the most High shall ouershadowe thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall bee borne of thee, shall be called the Sonne of God.
He replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. The baby who is to be born is holy, and will be called the Son of God.
36 And behold, thy cousin Elisabet, she hath also conceiued a sonne in her olde age: and this is her sixt moneth, which was called barren.
And Elizabeth, your relative, even she is pregnant in her old age. The woman that people said couldn't have children is already six months pregnant.
37 For with God shall nothing be vnpossible.
Nothing is impossible for God.”
38 Then Marie said, Behold the seruant of the Lord: be it vnto me according to thy woorde. So the Angel departed from her.
“Here I am, ready to be the Lord's servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me just as you said.” Then the angel left her.
39 And Marie arose in those daies, and went into ye hil countrey with hast to a citie of Iuda,
A little while later, Mary got herself ready and hurried up into the hills of Judea, to the town where
40 And entred into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabet.
Zechariah's house was. She called out to Elizabeth as she went in.
41 And it came to passe, as Elisabet heard the salutation of Marie, the babe sprang in her bellie, and Elisabet was filled with the holy Ghost.
As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's voice, the baby jumped for joy inside her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 And she cried with a loud voice, and saide, Blessed art thou among women, because the fruit of thy wombe is blessed.
and cried out in a loud voice, “How blessed you are among women, and how blessed will be the child born to you!
43 And whence commeth this to mee, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Why am I so honored that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
44 For loe, assoone as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine eares, the babe sprang in my bellie for ioye,
As soon as I heard you call out in greeting, my baby jumped for joy inside me.
45 And blessed is shee that beleeued: for those things shall be perfourmed, which were tolde her from the Lord.
How fortunate you are, because you are convinced that the Lord will do what he has promised you!”
46 Then Marie sayde, My soule magnifieth the Lord,
Mary replied, “How I praise the Lord!
47 And my spirite reioyceth in God my Sauiour.
I am so happy with God my Savior,
48 For hee hath looked on the poore degree of his seruaunt: for beholde, from henceforth shall all ages call me blessed,
because he decided that I, his servant, was worthy of his consideration, despite my humble background. From now on every generation will say I was blessed.
49 Because hee that is mightie, hath done for me great things, and holy is his Name.
God Almighty has done great things for me; his name is holy.
50 And his mercie is from generation to generation on them that feare him.
His mercy lasts for generation after generation to those who respect him.
51 Hee hath shewed strength with his arme: hee hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their hearts.
With his power he has broken to pieces those who arrogantly think they're so clever.
52 Hee hath put downe the mighty from their seates, and exalted them of lowe degree.
He tears the powerful down from their thrones, and elevates those who are humble.
53 Hee hath filled the hungrie with good things, and sent away the rich emptie.
He fills the hungry with good things to eat, and he sends the rich away empty-handed.
54 Hee hath vpholden Israel his seruaunt to be mindefull of his mercie
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering him in mercy,
just as he promised our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants for ever.” (aiōn g165)
56 And Marie abode with her about three moneths: after, shee returned to her owne house.
Mary stayed with her for three months and then returned home.
57 Nowe Elisabets time was fulfilled, that shee should be deliuered, and shee brought foorth a sonne.
The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby and she gave birth to a son.
58 And her neighbours, and cousins heard tell howe the Lord had shewed his great mercie vpon her, and they reioyced with her.
Her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had showed her great kindness, and they celebrated together with her.
59 And it was so that on the eight day they came to circumcise the babe, and called him Zacharias after the name of his father.
Eight days later they came to circumcise the boy. They planned to call him Zechariah after his father.
60 But his mother answered, and saide, Not so, but he shalbe called Iohn.
“No,” Elizabeth said. “He shall be called John.”
61 And they saide vnto her, There is none of thy kindred, that is named with this name.
“But there's nobody among your relatives who has this name,” they told her.
62 Then they made signes to his father, howe he would haue him called.
Through gestures they asked Zechariah, the boy's father, what he wanted to call his son.
63 So hee asked for writing tables, and wrote, saying, His name is Iohn, and they marueiled all.
Zechariah motioned for something to write on. To everyone's surprise he wrote, “His name is John.”
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he spake and praised God.
Immediately he could speak again, and he started praising God.
65 Then feare came on all them that dwelt neere vnto them, and all these woordes were noised abroade throughout all the hill countrey of Iudea.
All those living nearby were in awe at what had happened, and the news spread throughout the hill country of Judea.
66 And al they that heard them, laid them vp in their hearts, saying, What maner childe shall this be! and the hand of the Lord was with him.
Everyone who heard the news wondered what it meant. “What will the little boy grow up to be?” they asked, for it was clear he was very special to God.
67 Then his father Zacharias was filled with the holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
Zechariah, his father, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke this prophecy:
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he hath visited and redeemed his people,
“The Lord, the God of Israel, he is wonderful, for he has come to his people and set them free.
69 And hath raised vp the horne of saluation vnto vs, in the house of his seruant Dauid,
He has given us a great Savior from the line of his servant David,
70 As he spake by ye mouth of his holy Prophets, which were since the world began, saying, (aiōn g165)
as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. (aiōn g165)
71 That he would sende vs deliuerance from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate vs,
He promised to save us from our enemies, from those who hate us.
72 That he might shewe mercie towards our fathers, and remember his holy couenant,
He was merciful to our fathers, remembering his holy agreement—
73 And the othe which he sware to our father Abraham.
the promise that he made to our father Abraham.
74 Which was, that he would graunt vnto vs, that we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies, should serue him without feare,
He gives us freedom from fear and rescues us from our enemies,
75 All the daies of our life, in holinesse and righteousnesse before him.
so we can serve him by doing what is good and right for our whole lives.
76 And thou, babe, shalt be called the Prophet of the most High: for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord, to prepare his waies,
Even though you are only a small child, you will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way,
77 And to giue knowledge of saluation vnto his people, by the remission of their sinnes,
providing knowledge of salvation to his people through the forgiveness of their sins.
78 Through ye tender mercy of our God, wherby the day spring from an hie hath visited vs,
Through God's caring kindness to us, heaven's dawn will break upon us
79 To giue light to them that sit in darknes, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feete into the way of peace.
to shine on those who live in darkness and under the shadow of death, and to guide us along the path of peace.”
80 And the childe grewe, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the wildernesse, til the day came that he should shewe him selfe vnto Israel.
The boy John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the time came for his public ministry to Israel.
