Luke 1
1 Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us
Many have taken on the work of putting together an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,
just as they were passed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 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,
So it seemed good to me also, because I have accurately investigated everything from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.
so that you might know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5 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.
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zechariah, from the division of Abijah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.
They were both righteous before God, obeying all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old by this time.
8 Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,
Now it came about that Zechariah was in God's presence, carrying out the priestly duties in the order of his division.
9 it fell to his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood--to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense;
According to the customary way of choosing which priest would serve, he had been chosen by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
10 and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.
The whole crowd of people was praying outside at the hour when the incense was burned.
11 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense;
Now an angel of the Lord appeared to him and stood at the right side of the incense altar.
12 and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.
When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and fear fell on him.
13 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.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You will call his name John.
14 Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over 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; 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.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb.
16 Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;
Many of the people of Israel will be turned to the Lord their God.
17 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."
He will go before the face of the Lord 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 righteous—to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
18 "By what proof," asked Zechariah, "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 know this? For I am an old man and my wife is very old.”
19 "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.
The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, to bring you this good news.
20 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."
Behold! You will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place. This is because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at the right time.”
21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.
Now the people were waiting for Zechariah. They were surprised that he was spending so much time in the temple.
22 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.
But when he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision while he was in the temple. He kept on making signs to them and remained silent.
23 When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;
It came about that when the days of his service were over, he went to his house.
24 and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.
After these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months she kept herself hidden. She said,
25 "Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."
“This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked at me with favor in order to take away my shame before people.”
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary.
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph. He belonged to the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."
He came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.
But she was very confused by his words and she wondered what kind of greeting this could be.
30 But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.
See, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son. You will call his name 'Jesus.'
32 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;
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
33 and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end." (aiōn g165)
He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.” (aiōn g165)
34 "How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"
Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen, since I have not slept with any man?”
35 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.'
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will come over you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 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.
See, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. This is the sixth month for her, she who was called barren.
37 For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment."
For nothing will be impossible for God.”
38 "I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.
Mary said, “See, I am the female servant of the Lord. Let it be for me according to your message.” Then the angel left her.
39 Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.
Then Mary arose in those days and quickly went into the hill country, to a city in Judea.
40 Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;
She went into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt within her. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
Now it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 and uttered a loud cry of joy. "Blest among women are you," she said, "and the offspring of your body is blest!
She raised her voice and said loudly, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
43 But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Why has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.
For see, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
45 And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."
Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were told her from the Lord.”
46 Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord,
Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord,
47 And my spirit triumphs in God my Saviour;
and my spirit has rejoiced in God my savior.
48 Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,
For he has looked at the low condition of his female servant. For see, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--
For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
50 And His compassion is, generation after generation, Upon those who fear Him.
His mercy lasts from generation to generation for those who fear him.
51 He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has displayed strength with his arm; he has scattered those who were proud about the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men of low estate.
He has thrown down princes from their thrones and he has raised up those of low condition.
53 The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich He has sent empty-handed away.
He has filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he has sent away empty.
54 His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compassion--
He has given help to Israel his servant, so as to remember to show mercy
55 In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers--For Abraham and his posterity for ever." (aiōn g165)
(as he said to our fathers) to Abraham and his descendants forever.” (aiōn g165)
56 So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her house.
57 Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, she gave birth to a son;
Now the time had come for Elizabeth to deliver her baby and she gave birth to a son.
58 and her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had great compassion on her; and they rejoiced with her.
Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
Now it happened on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child. They would have called him “Zechariah,” after the name of his father.
60 His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."
But his mother answered and said, “No. He will be called John.”
61 "There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.
They made signs to his father as to how he wanted him to be named.
63 So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.
His father asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” They all were astonished at this.
64 Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless God.
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was freed. He spoke and praised God.
65 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.
Fear came on all who lived around them. All these matters were spread throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 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.
All who heard them stored them in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child become?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in a rapture of praise.
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel," he said, "Because He has not forgotten His people but has effected redemption for them,
“Praised be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to help and he has accomplished redemption for his people.
69 And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of David His servant--
He 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 from long ago), (aiōn g165)
71 To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant,
He will do this to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather,
the oath that he spoke to Abraham our father.
74 To grant us to be rescued from the power of our foes And so render worship to Him free from fear,
He swore to grant to us that we, having been delivered out of the hand of our enemies, would serve him without fear,
75 In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 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,
Yes, and you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his paths, to prepare people for his coming,
77 To give to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 Through the tender compassion of our God, Through which the daybreak from on high will come to us,
This will happen because of the tender mercy of our God, because of which the sunrise from on high will come to help us,
79 Dawning on those who now dwell in the darkness and shadow of death--To direct our feet into the path of peace."
to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death. He will do this to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
80 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.
Now the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
