Luke 1
1 Inasmuch as many took it in hand to present a history concerning these things which 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 as those being eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word have delivered unto us;
on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,
3 it seemed good to me also, having followed carefully all things from the beginning, to write unto thee consecutively, O most noble 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 in order that thou mayest know the certainty of the words concerning which thou hast been instructed.
that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Ahijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
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 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless.
They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.
7 And there was no child to them, as Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.
8 And it came to pass, while he was officiating in the order of his course before God,
Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,
9 (according to the custom of the priesthood he was chosen by lot to offer incense), having gone into the temple of the Lord;
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 all the multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense;
and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.
11 the angel of the Lord appeared unto him standing on the right hand 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 and Zacharias was troubled seeing him, and fear fell on him.
and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.
13 And the angel said to him; Fear not, Zacharias; because thy prayer has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bring forth a son to thee, and thou shalt call his 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 And there shall be joy and rejoicing, and many shall rejoice at his birth.
Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth.
15 For he shall be great before the Lord; and he shall not drink wine and strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost even from the womb of his mother.
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 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God.
Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;
17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and Power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient unto the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people made ready 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 And Zacharias said to the angel: According to what shall I know this? for I am old and my wife advanced in her days.
"By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."
19 And the angel responding said to him; I am Gabriel standing in the presence of God, and am sent to speak to you and to preach to you these things.
"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 behold thou shalt be dumb and unable to speak, unto the day upon which these things may take place; because thou didst not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their 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 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering because he tarries in the temple.
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
22 And having come out he was unable to speak to them; and they recognized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he was beckoning to them and remained dumb.
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 it came to pass when the days of his ministry were fulfilled, he went away to his own house.
When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;
24 And after these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.
25 That the Lord so hath done unto me, in the days in which He condescended to take away my reproach among men.
"Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, to which was the name
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man, to whom was the name Joseph of the house of David; and the name of the virgin 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 And the angel having come to her said; Hail, thou blessed one; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women.
So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."
29 And she seeing was troubled over his word, and was reasoning what kind this salutation might be.
She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.
30 And the angel said to her; Fear not, Mary; for thou didst find favor with God.
But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
31 And behold, thou shalt conceive and hear a son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus.
You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.
32 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto 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 shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom there shall be no end. (aiōn g165)
and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." (aiōn g165)
34 And Mary said to the angel; How shall this be, since I know not man?
"How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"
35 And the angel responding said to her; The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, indeed, that holy thing that is begotten shall 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 And behold Elizabeth thy kinswoman, indeed, herself having conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month, to her who is called barren.
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 Because no word shall be impossible with God.
For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment."
38 And Mary said; Behold the handmaiden of the Lord; may it be done unto me according to thy word. And the angel went away from 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 And Mary, rising, departed into the mountainous land, with haste, into a city of Judah.
Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.
40 And she came into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.
Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;
41 And it came to pass when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant in her womb leaped; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit; and she spoke with a loud voice and said;
and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt within her. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy 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 whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord may come unto me?
But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For behold when the voice of your salutation came into my ears, the infant in my womb leaped with joy.
For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.
45 And blessed is she that believeth, because there shall be a perfection to those things having been spoken to her by the Lord.
And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."
46 And Mary said; My soul doth magnify the Lord,
Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
And my spirit triumphs in God my Saviour;
48 because He looked upon the low state of his handmaiden.
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 behold from now all generations call me blessed; because the Mighty One did great things unto me, and His name is holy;
Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--
50 and His mercy unto generation of generations to them that fear Him.
And His compassion is, generation after generation, Upon those who fear Him.
51 He wrought power by his own arm; he dispersed the proud in the thought of their heart.
He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He cast down the mighty from thrones and exalted the humble.
He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men of low estate.
53 He filled the poor with good things, and sent away the rich empty.
The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich He has sent empty-handed away.
54 He delivered his son Israel, to remember mercy,
His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compassion--
In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers--For Abraham and his posterity for ever." (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.
57 And the time of her parturition was fulfilled unto Elizabeth and she brought forth a son.
Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, she gave birth to a son;
58 And the neighbors and her relatives heard, that the Lord was magnifying His mercy with her, and they continued to rejoice with her.
and her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had great compassion on her; and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the little child; and they were calling him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
60 And his mother responding said; No, but he shall be called John.
His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 And they said to her; That there is no one among thy kindred who is called by this name.
"There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."
62 And they were beckoning to his father, what he might wish to call him.
They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.
63 And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote saying; His name is John.
So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
64 And all marveled. And his mouth immediately opened and his tongue loosed, and he continued to speak, praising God.
Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless God.
65 And fear came upon all of those dwelling around; and all these words were spoken abroad in all the mountainous regions of Judea.
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 those hearing placed them in their heart, saying; What then shall this little child be? And the hand of the Lord 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 And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied saying;
And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in a rapture of praise.
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because He looked upon us and wrought redemption to His people, and raised up unto us a horn of salvation
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel," he said, "Because He has not forgotten His people but has effected redemption for them,
69 in the house of David His son.
And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of David His servant--
As He has spoken from all time by the lips of His holy Prophets-- (aiōn g165)
71 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all those who hate us,
To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.
72 to execute mercy with our fathers, and remember His holy covenant,
He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,
73 the oath which He swore to Abraham our father:
The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,
74 to grant unto us, having been delivered out of the hand of our enemies, to 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 life.
In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.
76 And thou, little child, shall be called a prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
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 knowledge of salvation to His people in remission of their sins,
To give to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins,
78 through the bowels of mercy of our God, in which the dayspring from on high looked upon us,
Through the tender compassion of our God, Through which the daybreak from on high will come to us,
79 to appear unto those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet in the way 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 little child continued to grow and waxed strong in spirit; and was in the deserts until the day of his showing unto 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.
