Luke 1
1 My noble [friend] Theophilus, many people saw the things that [Jesus] did while he was with us, from the time when he started [MTY] [his ministry]. They served God [by teaching people] the message [about the Lord Jesus]. Many of those who heard what they taught wrote down for us accounts of the things that [Jesus did from the time when] he began [his ministry].
Seeing that many have taken it in hand to draw up an account of those matters which have been fully established among us,
just as they reported them to us, who were from beginning eye- witnesses and ministers of the word,
3 I myself have studied these accounts carefully. So I decided that it would be good for me also to write for you [(sg)] an accurate account of these matters.
it seemed good to me also accurately, from the very beginning, to write them to you in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 I want you to know the truth about what you have been taught {what others have taught you}.
so that you may know the certainty of the story which you have been taught by the word of mouth.
5 When King Herod [the Great ruled] Judea [district], there was a [Jewish] priest named Zechariah. He belonged to the [group of priests called] the Abijah group. He and his wife Elizabeth were both descended from the [first priest of Israel], Aaron.
In the reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a certain priest, named Zachariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife named Elizabeth,
6 [God considered that] both of them were righteous, because they constantly completely obeyed everything that God had commanded.
who was a descendant of Aaron. They were both righteous in the sight of the Lord, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the law, blameless.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth had been unable to bear children. Furthermore, she and her husband were very old.
Now they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were far advanced in years.
8 One day [Zechariah’s] group was doing their work [in the Temple in Jerusalem], and he was serving as a priest in God’s presence.
Now while Zachariah was acting as priest before God in the due course of his class, it fell to his lot, according to the custom of priesthood,
9 Following their custom, [the other priests] chose him by lot to enter the Lord’s temple and burn incense.
to enter into the sanctuary of the Lord and to burn incense.
10 While he was burning the incense, many people were outside [in the courtyard], praying.
And the whole multitude of the people were without, praying at the hour of incense.
11 Then an angel whom God had [sent] appeared to him. The angel was standing at the right side of the place [where the priests burned] incense.
Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and became very afraid.
And as he saw him Zachariah was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, do not be afraid! When you [(sg)] prayed [asking God for a son] (OR, [that God would send the Messiah]), God heard what you prayed. [So] your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son. You must name him John.
But the Angel said to him. "Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
14 He will cause you to be very happy, and many other people will also be happy because he is born.
"And he shall be to you a joy and an exultation, and many shall rejoice over his birth.
15 God will consider him to be very important. He must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink, [in order that he will be completely dedicated to God]. He will be controlled by the Holy Spirit {The Holy Spirit will control him} from before he is born.
"For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, "He shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, "He shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the hour of his birth,
16 He will [persuade] many people in Israel to turn away [from their sins and please] the Lord their God.
"And shall win many of the sons of Israel to the Lord, their God.
17 As [God’s] Spirit enables him [to preach] powerfully as [the prophet] Elijah did, he will precede [the Messiah]. He will cause parents [SYN] to act [peacefully] toward their children [again]. He will cause [many] people who do not obey [God to hear and obey] the wise things that righteous people [tell them]. He will do this in order to help [many] people to be ready when the Lord [comes].”
"He shall go before Him in the wisdom and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him."
18 Then Zechariah said to the angel, “I am very old, and my wife is also so old [that she cannot bear a child. So] (I cannot [believe] that what you [(sg)] said [will happen]!/how can I [believe] that what you [(sg)] said [will happen]?) [RHQ]”
"How shall I be sure of this?" said Zachariah to the Angel. "For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."
19 Then the angel said to him, “I am [God’s chief angel], Gabriel! [I do what God tells me, because] I constantly am in God’s presence! I was sent {[He] sent me} to tell you [(sg)] something good [that is going to happen to you].
"I am Gabriel," answered the angel, "who stand in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring and to bring you this good news.
20 What I have told you will certainly happen at the time [God decides], but you did not believe what I told you. So now [God will make] you will be unable to talk until the day [your son is born]”!
"And now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words - Words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."
21 While [Zechariah and the angel] were talking, the people [in the courtyard] were waiting for Zechariah [to come out]. They wondered, “Why is he staying in the Temple for such a long time?”
Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zachariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
22 When Zechariah came out, he was not able to speak to the people. Because he could not talk, he made motions with his hands [to try to convey what had happened]. Then they realized that he had seen (a vision [from God]/something that [God] showed him) while he was in the Temple.
And when he came out he could not speak to them, and then they knew that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained dumb.
23 When Zechariah’s time to work [as a priest in the Temple] was finished, he [left Jerusalem and] returned to his home.
As soon as his term of priestly service was ended he went home;
24 Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant [EUP]. She did not leave their house for five months, [because she knew that people would laugh at her if she told them that she was pregnant].
and after those days Elizabeth, his wife, Conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying.
25 But she thought, “God has enabled me to become pregnant. He has pitied me and I will no longer be ashamed [because I have no children]!”
"This has the Lord done for me. He has now deigned to take the away my reproach among men."
26 When Elizabeth had been [pregnant] [EUP] [for almost] six months, the angel Gabriel was sent by God {God sent the angel Gabriel} [again].
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, called Nazareth,
27 [This time] he went to Nazareth [town] in Galilee [district], to a virgin whose name was Mary. It had been {[Her parents] had} promised that she would marry a man named Joseph, who was descended from [King] David.
to a maiden betrothed to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 The angel greeted her and said, “(The Lord/God) is with you [(sg)] and you will be greatly blessed {[has decided to] greatly bless you}!”
The angel went in and said to her. "Joy to you, highly favored one! "The Lord is with you."
29 But Mary was very confused [when she heard] that. She wondered what [the angel meant] by these words.
Mary was greatly agitated at his word, and was revolving in her mind what this salutation could mean.
30 Then the angel said to her, “Mary, God is very pleased with you [(sg)], so do not be afraid.
when the angel said to her. "Fear not Mary, for you have found grace with God.
31 You will become pregnant and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.
"And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you shall call his name Jesus.
32 He will become great. He will be called {[People will] call him} (the Son of God/the man who is also God). God, the Lord, will make him a king [MTY] as his ancestor [King] David was.
"He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High. "And the Lord God will give him the throne of his forefather David,
33 He will be the King of [the] Jews, the descendants [MTY] of [your ancestor] Jacob, forever. He will rule as king forever!” (aiōn g165)
"and he shall reign over the House of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (aiōn g165)
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin, so how can I [have a baby]?”
And Mary said to the angel. "How can this be? For I have no husband?"
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come to you; the power of God [MTY/EUP] will overshadow you [and enable you to become pregnant]. So the child [you will] bear will be completely set apart {give himself completely} to obey God, and he will be called {[people] will say that he is} (the Son of God/the man who is also God).
"The Holy Spirit shall come upon you," said the angel, "and the power of the most High shall overshadow you, and therefore the holy offspring which is born, shall be called the son of God.
36 [I also need to tell you something else]. Your cousin Elizabeth is very old, and it was thought {[people] said} that she could not bear any children. But she has been [pregnant] [EUP] [for almost] six months, and will bear a son!
"And behold your kinswoman, Elizabeth, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this was the sixth month with her that was called barren.
37 [You should not be surprised at that], because God can do everything!”
"For no word of God shall be void of power."
38 Then Mary said, “All right, I want to serve (the Lord/God), so may what you [(sg)] have said about me come true!” Then the angel left her.
Then Mary said. "Behold I am Lord’s slave. Let it be to me as you have said." Then the angel departed from her.
39 Very soon after that, Mary got ready and went quickly to a town in the highlands of Judea [district] where Zechariah lived.
Soon after this Mary set out and hastened unto the hill-country to a town in Judah;
40 She entered his house and greeted [his wife] Elizabeth.
and there she came into the house of Zachariah, and greeted Elizabeth.
41 As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary greet her, the baby moved inside [Elizabeth’s] womb. The Holy Spirit took complete control of Elizabeth,
And when Elizabeth heard her salutation, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth herself was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42 and she said loudly [to Mary], “[God] has blessed you [more than] he has blessed [any other] woman, and [he has] blessed the child you will bear!
and called out with a loud cry. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 (I am not worthy that [God would allow you] to visit me!/Why is [God allowing you] to visit me?) [RHQ] You will be the mother of my Lord!
"But why is this honor done me, that the mother of my Lord should come me?
44 [I realize this because] as soon as I heard you greet me, the baby inside my womb moved because he was so happy [that you had come].
"For behold when the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped with joy within my womb.
45 [God] is pleased with you [because] you believed that what (the Lord/God) told you would come true.”
"And blessed is she who believed that the Lord’s words spoken to her would be fulfilled."
46 Then Mary [praised God by] saying/singing: “, how I [SYN] praise (the Lord/God)!
And Mary said. "My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 I am happy because God is the one who saves me.
"My spirit exults in the God, who is my Saviour,
48 I was only his lowly servant girl, but he did not forget me. So from now on, everyone will say that God was pleased with me,
"For he has regarded the humiliation of his slave, And from this hour all ages will count me blessed.
49 because they will hear about the things that God [MTY], the mighty one, has done for me. He [MTY] is awesome!
"For he who is mighty has done great things for me; And holy is his name.
50 He acts mercifully toward all those who respect him.
"His mercy is unto generations and generations on those who reverence him.
51 He shows people that he [MTY] is very powerful. He scatters those who think proudly.
"He has showed strength with his arm. "He has scattered proud in the imagination of their hearts;
52 He does not let mighty kings rule [MTY] any more, but he honors people who are oppressed (OR, humble).
"he has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted those of low degree.
53 He gives good things to eat to those who are hungry, but he sends away the rich people without giving them anything.
"The hungry he has filled with good things, But the rich he has sent empty away.
54 And now he has remembered what he promised. So he has helped me and all the other people of [MTY] Israel who serve him.
"He has helped Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55 He promised to Abraham and all our other ancestors who descended from him that he would act mercifully toward them forever.” (aiōn g165)
"As he spoke to our forefathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever." (aiōn g165)
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. Then she returned to her home.
So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and returned home.
57 When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth to her child, she bore a son.
Now when the time of Elizabeth’s delivery was come, she gave birth to a son;
58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how (the Lord/God) had greatly blessed her [by enabling her to bear a child], so they were happy along with [Elizabeth].
and her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her,
59 Seven days later they gathered together for the [ceremony for] circumcising the baby [to show that he belonged to God]. They wanted to give the baby the same name as his father, Zechariah.
and came on the eighth day to circumcise the child. They were about to call him "Zachariah," after his father,
60 But his mother said, “No, [his name will not be Zechariah]. His name will be John!”
when his mother said, "No, he is to be called John."
61 [So] they said to her, “[John] is not the name of any of your [(dl)] relatives, [so you(dl) should not give him that name]!”
Said they, "You have no relatives of that name!"
62 Then they made motions with their hands to Zechariah, [for him] to indicate what name [he] wanted to be given {to give} to his son.
Then they asked his father by signs what he wished to call the child.
63 [So] he signaled that they [should give him] a tablet [to write on. When they gave him one], he wrote [on it], “His name is John.” All those [who were there] were surprised!
So he asked for a writing tablet and wrote down, "His name is John."
64 Immediately Zechariah was able to speak again [MTY], and he praised God.
Every one was surprised, and at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 All their neighbors were amazed/awestruck! They told other people who lived all over the highlands of Judea about what had happened.
And there came a great fear upon all in the neighborhood; and throughout the hill country of Judea all these sayings were much talked about.
66 Everyone who heard about it kept thinking about it. They were saying, “We wonder what will this child do [for God when] he [grows up] [RHQ]!” They wondered that because [from what had happened they were sure that] God would be helping that child [SYN] [in a powerful way].
All the story laid it up in their hearts, saying "What, then, will this child be?" For the Lord’s hands was with him.
67 [After] Zechariah’s [son was born], Zechariah was completely directed by the Holy Spirit {the Holy Spirit completely directed Zechariah} as he spoke these words that came from God:
And his father, Zachariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying.
68 “Praise the Lord, the God whom we(inc) people of Israel worship, because he has come to set us, his people, free from our enemies.
"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, For he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 He is sending us someone who will powerfully [MTY] save us, someone who is descended from [MTY] King David, who served God well.
"And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of his servant David,
"As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets Which have been since the world began (aiōn g165)
71 He will rescue us from our enemies, and he will save us from the power of all those who hate us.
To deliver us from our enemies, and from the power Of all who hate us.
72 He will do this because he has not forgotten what he promised our ancestors; he made an agreement that he would act mercifully to us, their descendants.
"He showed mercy to our forefathers, He remembered his holy covenant,
73 That is what he strongly promised our ancestor Abraham that he would do.
"The oath which he swore to Abraham, our forefather,
74 God told him that we would be rescued {he would rescue us} from the power of our enemies, that he would enable us to serve him without being afraid,
"That he we should be delivered out of the Hand of our enemies, And should serve him without fear,
75 that he would cause us to be completely dedicated to him, and enable us to live righteously all of our lives.”
"In holiness and righteousness before him All our days.
76 [Then Zechariah said this to] his little son: “My child, you will be called {people will say that you are} a prophet whom God [MTY/EUP] has sent; you will begin your work before (the Lord/Messiah) comes; you will prepare people so that they will be ready for him. (OR, you will begin your work before the Messiah comes).
"And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Most High, For thou shalt go before the Lord to prepare the way
77 You will tell God’s people how he will forgive them and save them from being punished for their sins.
"To give to his people a knowledge of salvation Through the remission of their sins,
78 Our God will do that because he is very kind to us. Just like a new day begins when the sun rises [MET], God will do that new thing for us when the Messiah comes to us from heaven.
"Through the heart of mercy of our God, Whereby the Dayspring from on high shall visit us,
79 People who do not know God [MET] are like those who sit in the darkness. They are afraid [MTY] that they will soon die. But when the Messiah tells us God’s message, it will be like causing such people to see a bright light. He will guide us [SYN] so that we will be living peacefully.”
"To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, And to guide our feet into the paths of peace."
80 [Later], Zechariah’s son grew up and became spiritually strong. Then he lived in a desolate region until he began to preach to the Israeli people.
And the child grew, and became strong in the Spirit, and remained in the desert till the day of his showing to Israel.
