Luke 1
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to arrange a narrative of those things which are fully believed among us,
Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
2 even as they were delivered to us by those who were eye-witnesses from the beginning and became ministers of the word,
even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,
3 it seemed good to me also, having accurately traced up all things from the first, to write to thee a connected account, most excellent Theophilus,
it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;
4 that thou mightst know the exact truth with regard to those things in which thou wast instructed.
that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zachariah, of the course of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both far 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, that, while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his course,
Now it happened, while he was performing the priest's office before God in the order of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood the lot fell to him to go into the temple of the Lord and burn the incense.
according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying without at the time of the incense.
And the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zachariah was troubled at the sight, and fear fell upon him.
Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zachariah; for thy prayer was 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 request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you are to name him John.
14 And thou wilt have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice for his birth.
You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and will drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his very birth.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he must never drink 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 will he turn to the Lord their God.
He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.
17 And he will go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.
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 to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 And Zachariah said to the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years.
Zechariah 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 in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to thee, and to tell thee these glad tidings.
The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
20 And lo! thou shalt be silent, and not able to speak, until the day when these things shall come to pass, because thou didst not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their season.
And look, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
21 And the people were looking for Zachariah, and wondering that he remained so long in the temple.
The people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering why he was delayed in the temple.
22 And on coming out, he was not able to speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he was beckoning to them, and remained speechless.
When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
23 And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were completed, that he returned to his house.
It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
24 And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men.
"Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my disgrace among people."
26 And in her sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named 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 to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in to her and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored! the Lord is with thee.
Having come in, the angel said to her, "Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you."
29 And she was troubled at the words, and was considering what this salutation could mean.
But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with God.
The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And lo! thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and hear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
And look, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.'
32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to 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 ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (aiōn g165)
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his kingdom." (aiōn g165)
34 Then said Mary to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a man?
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"
35 And the angel answering said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon thee, and the power of the Most High will overshadow thee; wherefore the holy one that is to be born will be called the Son of God.
The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born will be called the Son of God.
36 And lo! Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who is called barren.
And look, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.
For with God nothing will be impossible."
38 And Mary said, Lo, the handmaid of the Lord! May it be to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
And Mary said, "See, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her.
39 And Mary arose and went in those days into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Judah.
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
40 And she entered the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth.
and entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it came to pass, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that 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 among women; and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!
She called out with a loud 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 lo! as soon as the voice of thy salutation came to my ears, the babe leaped in my womb in exultation.
For look, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
45 And blessed is she who hath believed that there will be an accomplishment of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord."
46 And Mary said, My soul magnifieth the Lord,
Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 and my spirit hath exulted in God my Saviour;
And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaiden. For lo! from this time all generations will call me blessed;
for he has looked at the humble state of his servant girl. For look, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 for the Mighty One hath done great things for me; and holy is his name;
For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 and his mercy is from generation to generation on them that fear him.
His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.
51 He hath wrought mightily with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the device of their heart.
He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath cast down princes from thrones, and exalted men of low degree.
He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.
53 The hungry he hath filled with good things, and the rich he hath sent away empty.
He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
54 He hath given help to Israel his servant, in remembrance of his mercy
He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever." (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
57 Now Elizabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had showed great mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her.
Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards 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 were about to call him Zachariah, after the name of his father.
It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zechariah, after the name of the father.
60 And his mother answering said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."
61 And they said to her, There is no one of thy kindred that is called by this name.
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 named.
They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they all marveled.
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they were all amazed.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue was loosed; and he spoke, blessing God.
His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 And fear came on all that dwelt around them; and all these things were talked of throughout the whole of the hill-country of Judaea.
Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 And all that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What then will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And Zachariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
His father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people;
69 and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant, —
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), (aiōn g165)
71 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us,
salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to accomplish his mercy toward our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,
to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father,
74 to grant to us, that being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we might worship him without fear,
to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him, all our days.
In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called a prophet of the Most High; for thou shalt go in advance 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 before the Lord to make ready his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the remission of their sins
to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins,
78 through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us,
because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,
79 to give light to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace."
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit; and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
