Luke 1
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to arrange a narrative of those things which are fully believed among us,
Given that many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those things that really did take place 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,
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 accurately traced up all things from the first, to write to thee a connected account, 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 mightst know the exact truth with regard to those things in which thou wast instructed.
so that you may know the certainty of 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.
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 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, as he was officiating as priest 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 priesthood, that his lot was to burn incense, upon entering the sanctuary of the Lord;
10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying without at the time of the 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 of the altar of incense.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense;
12 And Zachariah was troubled at the sight, 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, 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, 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 wilt have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice for his birth.
And you will have joy and exultation, and many will rejoice over 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; 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 many of the sons of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God.
And 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.
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 Zachariah said to the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is far 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 in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to thee, and to tell thee these glad 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 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.
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 looking for Zachariah, and wondering that he remained so long in the temple.
Now the people were waiting for Zacharias and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary.
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.
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, when the days of his ministration were completed, that he returned to his house.
And so, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he took off for home.
24 And after those days his wife Elizabeth 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 looked on me 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 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 by God to a town of Galilee named Natsareth,
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 betrothed 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.
So upon entering where she was the angel said, “Rejoice, recipient of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29 And she was troubled at the words, and was considering what this salutation could mean.
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 favor with God.
The angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, because 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.
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 will give to 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 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 into the ages; indeed, of His kingdom there will be no end!” (aiōn g165)
34 Then said Mary to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a 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 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.
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 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.
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 For nothing will be impossible with God.
because any word spoken by God will be possible.”
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.
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 arose and went in those days into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Judah.
Then Mary quickly got ready and went into the hill country in those days, to a town of Judah,
40 And she entered the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth.
and entered the house of Zacharias and saluted 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,
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 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 lo! as soon as the voice of thy salutation came to my ears, the babe leaped in my womb in exultation.
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 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, because there will be a fulfillment of the things that have been spoken to her from the Lord.”
46 And Mary said, My soul magnifieth the Lord,
So Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit hath exulted in God my Saviour;
and my spirit has exulted over 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;
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 for the Mighty One hath done great things for 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 to generation on them that fear him.
His mercy is for generations of generations to those fearing Him.
51 He hath wrought mightily with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the device 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 cast down princes from thrones, and exalted men of low degree.
He has dethroned rulers and 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 and sent the rich away empty.
54 He hath given help to Israel his servant, in remembrance 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 returned to her own house.
So Mary stayed with her about three months, and 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 for Elizabeth to give birth was completed and she bore 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 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 were about to call him Zachariah, after the name of his father.
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 no one 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 named.
So they started motioning to his father, as to 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.
Asking for a writing tablet he wrote this: “His name is to be John!” They all marveled.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue was 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 on all that dwelt around them; and all these things were talked of throughout the whole of the hill-country of Judaea.
(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 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 kept them in their hearts saying, “What then will this child be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.)
67 And Zachariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
Now his father Zacharias was filled with 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, because He has visited and provided 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 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 accomplish his mercy toward our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,
to use mercy with our fathers, even to remember His Holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
the oath that He swore to our father Abraham;
74 to grant to us, that being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we might worship 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 righteousness before him, all our days.
in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
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 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 in the remission of their sins
to give a 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,
through the merciful compassions of our God, with which the divine Dawn has contemplated 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 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 waxed strong in spirit; and was in the deserts till 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.
