Luke 1
1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled amongst us,
Forsothe for manye men enforceden to ordeyne the tellyng of thingis, whiche ben fillid in vs,
2 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,
as thei that seyn atte the bigynnyng, and weren ministris of the word,
3 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;
bitaken, it is seen also to me, hauynge alle thingis diligentli bi ordre, to write to thee,
4 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
thou best Theofile, that thou knowe the treuthe of tho wordis, of whiche thou art lerned.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
In the daies of Eroude, kyng of Judee, ther was a prest, Sakarie bi name, of the sorte of Abia, and his wijf was of the douytris of Aaron, and hir name was Elizabeth.
6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
And bothe weren iust bifor God, goynge in alle the maundementis and iustifiyngis of the Lord, withouten pleynt.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
And thei hadden no child, for Elizabeth was bareyn, and bothe weren of grete age in her daies.
8 Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division
And it bifel, that whanne Zacarie schulde do the office of preesthod, in the ordre of his cours tofor God,
9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
aftir the custome of the preesthod, he wente forth bi lot, and entride in to the temple, to encense.
10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
And al the multitude of the puple was with outforth, and preiede in the our of encensyng.
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And an aungel of the Lord apperide to hym, and stood on the riythalf of the auter of encense.
12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
And Zacarie seynge was afraied, and drede fel vpon hym.
13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
And the aungel seide to hym, Zacarie, drede thou not; for thi preyer is herd, and Elizabeth, thi wijf, schal bere to thee a sone, and his name schal be clepid Joon.
14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
And ioye and gladyng schal be to thee; and many schulen `haue ioye in his natyuyte.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
For he schal be greet bifor the Lord, and he schal not drynke wyn and sidir, and he schal be fulfillid with the Hooli Goost yit of his modir wombe.
16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
And he schal conuerte many of the children of Israel to her Lord God;
17 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 prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
and he schal go bifor hym in the spirit and the vertu of Helie; and he schal turne the hertis of the fadris in to the sones, and men out of bileue to the prudence of iust men, to make redi a perfit puple to the Lord.
18 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.”
And Zacarie seide to the aungel, Wherof schal Y wite this? for Y am eld, and my wijf hath gon fer in to hir daies.
19 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.
And the aungel answeride, and seide to hym, For Y am Gabriel, that stonde niy bifor God; and Y am sent to thee to speke, and to euangelize to thee these thingis.
20 Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
And lo! thou schalt be doumbe, and thou schalt not mow speke til in to the dai, in which these thingis schulen be don; for thou hast not bileued to my wordis, whiche schulen be fulfillid in her tyme.
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled that he delayed in the temple.
And the puple was abidynge Zacarie, and thei wondriden, that he tariede in the temple.
22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
And he yede out, and myyte not speke to hem, and thei knewen that he hadde seyn a visioun in the temple. And he bikenyde to hem, and he dwellide stille doumbe.
23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
And it was don, whanne the daies of his office weren fulfillid, he wente in to his hous.
24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
And aftir these daies Elizabeth, his wijf, conseyuede, and hidde hir fyue monethis, and seide,
25 “Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach amongst men.”
For so the Lord dide to me in the daies, in whiche he bihelde, to take awei my repreef among men.
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
But in the sixte moneth the aungel Gabriel was sent fro God in to a citee of Galilee, whos name was Nazareth,
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.
to a maidyn, weddid to a man, whos name was Joseph, of the hous of Dauid; and the name of the maidun was Marie.
28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favoured one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you amongst women!”
And the aungel entride to hir, and seide, Heil, ful of grace; the Lord be with thee; blessid be thou among wymmen.
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
And whanne sche hadde herd, sche was troublid in his word, and thouyte what maner salutacioun this was.
30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
And the aungel seide to hir, Ne drede thou not, Marie, for thou hast foundun grace anentis God.
31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’
Lo! thou schalt conceyue in wombe, and schalt bere a sone, and thou schalt clepe his name Jhesus.
32 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,
This schal be greet, and he schal be clepid the sone of the Hiyeste; and the Lord God schal yeue to hym the seete of Dauid, his fadir,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” (aiōn g165)
and he schal regne in the hous of Jacob with outen ende, and of his rewme schal be noon ende. (aiōn g165)
34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
And Marie seide to the aungel, On what maner schal this thing be doon, for Y knowe not man?
35 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 from you will be called the Son of God.
And the aungel answeride, and seide to hir, The Hooly Goost schal come fro aboue in to thee, and the vertu of the Hiyeste schal ouerschadewe thee; and therfor that hooli thing that schal be borun of thee, schal be clepid the sone of God.
36 Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
And lo! Elizabeth, thi cosyn, and sche also hath conceyued a sone in hir eelde, and this moneth is the sixte to hir that is clepid bareyn;
37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
for euery word schal not be inpossible anentis God.
38 Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
And Marie seide, Lo! the handmaydyn of the Lord; be it don to me aftir thi word. And the aungel departide fro hir.
39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
And Marie roos vp in tho daies, and wente with haaste in to the mounteyns, in to a citee of Judee.
40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
And sche entride in to the hous of Zacarie, and grette Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
And it was don, as Elizabeth herde the salutacioun of Marie, the yong child in hir wombe gladide. And Elizabeth was fulfillid with the Hooli Goost,
42 She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
and criede with a greet vois, and seide, Blessid be thou among wymmen, and blessid be the fruyt of thi wombe.
43 Why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
And whereof is this thing to me, that the modir of my Lord come to me?
44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy!
For lo! as the voice of thi salutacioun was maad in myn eeris, the yong child gladide in ioye in my wombe.
45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
And blessid be thou, that hast bileued, for thilke thingis that ben seid of the Lord to thee, schulen be parfitli don.
46 Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
And Marie seide, Mi soule magnyfieth the Lord,
47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour,
and my spirit hath gladid in God, myn helthe.
48 for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
For he hath biholdun the mekenesse of his handmaidun.
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
For lo! of this alle generaciouns schulen seie that Y am blessid. For he that is myyti hath don to me grete thingis, and his name is hooli.
50 His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
And his mercy is fro kynrede in to kynredes, to men that dreden hym.
51 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He made myyt in his arme, he scaterede proude men with the thouyte of his herte.
52 He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
He sette doun myyti men fro sete, and enhaunside meke men.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
He hath fulfillid hungri men with goodis, and he hath left riche men voide.
54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
He, hauynge mynde of his mercy, took Israel, his child;
as he hath spokun to oure fadris, to Abraham and to his seed, in to worldis. (aiōn g165)
56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
And Marie dwellide with hir, as it were thre monethis, and turnede ayen in to hir hous.
57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.
But the tyme of beryng child was fulfillid to Elizabeth, and sche bare a sone.
58 Her neighbours and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.
And the neiyboris and cosyns of hir herden, that the Lord hadde magnyfied his mercy with hir; and thei thankiden hym.
59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
And it was don in the eiyte dai, thei camen to circumcide the child; and thei clepiden hym Zacarie, bi the name of his fadir.
60 His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
And his moder answeride, and seide, Nay, but he schal be clepid Joon.
61 They said to her, “There is no one amongst your relatives who is called by this name.”
And thei seiden to hir, For no man is in thi kynrede, that is clepid this name.
62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
And thei bikeneden to his fadir, what he wolde that he were clepid.
63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marvelled.
And he axynge a poyntil, wroot, seiynge, Joon is his name.
64 His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
And alle men wondriden. And anoon his mouth was openyd, and his tunge, and he spak, and blesside God.
65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
And drede was maad on alle her neiyboris, and alle these wordis weren pupplischid on alle the mounteyns of Judee.
66 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.
And alle men that herden puttiden in her herte, and seiden, What maner child schal this be? For the hoond of the Lord was with hym.
67 His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
And Zacarie, his fadir, was fulfillid with the Hooli Goost, and prophesiede,
68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
and seide, Blessid be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visitid, and maad redempcioun of his puple.
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
And he hath rerid to vs an horn of heelthe in the hous of Dauid, his child.
As he spak bi the mouth of hise hooli prophetis, that weren fro the world. (aiōn g165)
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
Helthe fro oure enemyes, and fro the hoond of alle men that hatiden vs.
72 to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
To do merci with oure fadris, and to haue mynde of his hooli testament.
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
The greet ooth that he swoor to Abraham, oure fadir, to yyue hym silf to vs.
74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
That we with out drede delyuered fro the hoond of oure enemyes,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
serue to hym, in hoolynesse and riytwisnesse bifor hym in alle oure daies.
76 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 ways,
And thou, child, schalt be clepid the prophete of the Hiyest; for thou schalt go bifor the face of the Lord, to make redi hise weies.
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
To yyue scyence of helthe to his puple, in to remyssioun of her synnes;
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
bi the inwardnesse of the merci of oure God, in the whiche he spryngynge vp fro an hiy hath visitid vs.
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
To yyue liyt to hem that sitten in derknessis and in schadewe of deeth; to dresse oure feet in to the weie of pees.
80 The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
And the child wexide, and was coumfortid in spirit, and was in desert placis `til to the dai of his schewing to Israel.
