Luke 1
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to arrange a narrative of those things which are fully believed among us,
To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion 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 they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterwards became bearers of the Message.
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,
And, therefore, I also, since I have investigated all these events with great care from their very beginning, have resolved to write a connected history of them for you,
4 that thou mightst know the exact truth with regard to those things in which thou wast instructed.
in order that you may be able to satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the story which you have heard from the lips of others.
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 reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the Division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron.
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 people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by 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, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
8 And it came to pass, that, while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his course,
One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn 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.
it fell to him by lot, in accordance with the practice among the priests, to go 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, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense.
12 And Zachariah was troubled at the sight, and fear fell upon him.
Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.
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; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, whom you shall call by the name John.
14 And thou wilt have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice for his birth.
He shall be to you a joy and a delight; and many shall 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 shall be great in the sight of the Lord; he shall not drink any wine or strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth,
16 And many of the sons of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God.
and shall reconcile many of the Israelites 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 shall go before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, ‘to reconcile fathers to their children’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
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.
“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man and my wife is 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.
“I am Gabriel,” the angel answered, “who stand in the presence of God, and I have been 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 now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course.”
21 And the people were looking for Zachariah, and wondering that he remained so long in the temple.
Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long 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 was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb.
23 And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were completed, that he returned to his house.
And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.
24 And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
After this his wife, Elizabeth, expecting to become a mother, lived in seclusion for five months.
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men.
“This is what the Lord has done for me,” she said, “now that he has deigned to take away the reproach under which I have been living.”
26 And in her sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called 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 maiden there who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 And the angel came in to her and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored! the Lord is with thee.
Gabriel came into her presence and said: “Hail, you who have been highly favoured! The Lord is with you.”
29 And she was troubled at the words, and was considering what this salutation could mean.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,
30 And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favor with God.
when the angel spoke again: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
31 And lo! thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and hear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.
And now, you shall be with child and give birth to a son, and you shall give him the 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;
The child shall be great and shall be called ‘Son of the Most High,’ and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor 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 shall reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there shall be no end.” (aiōn g165)
34 Then said Mary to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a man?
“How can this be?” Mary asked the angel. “For I have no husband.”
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 Holy Spirit shall descend upon you,” answered the angel, “and the Power of the Most High shall overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called ‘holy,’ and ‘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 Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also expecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month with her, though she is called barren;
37 For nothing will be impossible with God.
for no promise from God shall fail to be fulfilled.”
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.
“I am the servant of the Lord,” exclaimed Mary; “let it be with me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
39 And Mary arose and went in those days into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Judah.
Soon after this Mary set out, and made her way quickly into the hill-country, to a town in Judah;
40 And she entered the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth.
and there she went into Zechariah’s house 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,
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child moved within her, and Elizabeth herself 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!
and cried aloud: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
But how have I this honour, 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, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!
45 And blessed is she who hath believed that there will be an accomplishment of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.”
46 And Mary said, My soul magnifieth the Lord,
And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
47 and my spirit hath exulted in God my Saviour;
my spirit delights in God my Saviour;
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 remembered his servant in her lowliness; And from this hour all ages will count me happy!
49 for the Mighty One hath done great things for me; and holy is his name;
Great things has the Almighty done for me; And holy is his name.
50 and his mercy is from generation to generation on them that fear him.
From age to age his mercy rests On those who reverence him.
51 He hath wrought mightily with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the device of their heart.
Mighty are the deeds of his arm; He scatters the proud with their own devices,
52 He hath cast down princes from thrones, and exalted men of low degree.
he casts down princes from their thrones, and the lowly he uplifts,
53 The hungry he hath filled with good things, and the rich he hath sent away empty.
the hungry he loads with gifts, and the rich he sends empty away.
54 He hath given help to Israel his servant, in remembrance of his mercy
He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, Ever mindful of his mercy
(As he promised to our forefathers) For Abraham and his race for ever.” (aiōn g165)
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
57 Now Elizabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
When Elizabeth’s time came, she gave birth to a son;
58 And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had showed great mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her.
and her neighbours and relations, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy.
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.
A week later they met to circumcise the child, and were about to call him ‘Zechariah’ after his father,
60 And his mother answering said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
when his mother interposed: “No, he is to be called John.”
61 And they said to her, There is no one of thy kindred that is called by this name.
“You have no relation of that name!” they exclaimed;
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him named.
and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be 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 the words — ‘His name is John.’ Every one was surprised;
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue was loosed; and he spoke, blessing God.
and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless 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.
All their neighbours were awe-struck at this; and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about;
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.
and all who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another — “What can this child be destined to become?” For the Power of the Lord was with him.
67 And Zachariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said:
68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel! for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
“Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,
69 and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant, —
and has raised up for us the Strength of our Salvation In the House of his servant David —
As he promised by the lips of his Holy Prophets 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 hands of all that hate us,
72 to accomplish his mercy toward our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,
showing mercy to our forefathers, And mindful of his sacred Covenant.
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
This was the oath which he swore to our forefather Abraham —
74 to grant to us, that being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we might worship him without fear,
That we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him, all our days.
and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, In his presence 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 thou, Child, shalt be called Prophet of the Most High, For thou shalt go before the Lord to make ready his way,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the remission of their sins
to give his people the knowledge of salvation In 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 tender mercy of our God, Whereby the Dawn will break on us from Heaven,
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 dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, And 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 grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the Wilds till the time came for his appearance before Israel.
