Luke 1
1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled amongst 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 those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,
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 traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, 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 you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were 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, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisheva.
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 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 But they had no child, because Elisheva was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.
8 Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division
One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn 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 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
and, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense.
12 Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck.
13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elisheva, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Yochanan.
But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, whom you will call by the name John.
14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
He will be to you a joy and a delight; and many will rejoice over his birth.
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 will be great in the sight of the Lord; he will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth,
16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
and will reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their 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.”
He will 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 Zechariah 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.”
‘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 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.
‘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 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 now you will 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 The people were waiting for Zechariah, and they marvelled that he delayed in the temple.
Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long 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.
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 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.
24 After these days Elisheva his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months.
25 “Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach amongst men.”
‘The Lord has done this for me,’ she said, ‘he has shown me kindness and taken away the public disgrace of childlessness under which I have been living.’
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called 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 Miriam.
to a maiden there who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.
28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favoured one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you amongst women!”
Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying, ‘You have been shown great favour – the Lord is with you.’
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,
30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Miriam, for you have found favour with God.
when the angel spoke again, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God.
31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Yeshua.’
And now, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus.
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,
The child will be great and will be called “Son of the Most High,” and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” (aiōn g165)
and he will reign over the descendants of Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there will be no end.’ (aiōn g165)
34 Miriam said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
‘How can this be?’ Mary asked the angel. ‘For I have no husband.’
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.
‘The Holy Spirit will descend on you,’ answered the angel, ‘and the Power of the Most High will overshadow you; and therefore the child will be called “holy,” and “Son of God.”
36 Behold, Elisheva your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was 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 spoken by God is impossible.”
for no promise from God will fail to be fulfilled.’
38 Miriam said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then 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 Miriam arose in those days and went 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 entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elisheva.
and there she went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elisheva heard Miriam’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb; and Elisheva 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 She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
and cried aloud, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your unborn child!
43 Why am I so favoured, 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 behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leapt in my womb for joy!
For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight!
45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled.’
46 Miriam said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
And Mary said: ‘My soul exalts the Lord,
47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour,
and my spirit delights in God my Saviour,
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 has looked with favour on his humble servant girl. From now on all generations will call me blessed!
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
‘For the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
He has mercy on those who revere him in every generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
‘Mighty are the deeds of his arm! He has scattered the self-satisfied proud,
52 He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
he has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and he uplifts the humble,
53 He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
‘He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, ever mindful of his mercy,
as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and his descendants for ever.’ (aiōn g165)
56 Miriam stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.
57 Now the time that Elisheva should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.
When Elizabeth’s time came, she gave birth to a son;
58 Her neighbours and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.
and her neighbours and relatives, hearing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share her joy.
59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zechariah, 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 His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called Yochanan.”
when his mother spoke up, ‘No, he is to be called John.’
61 They said to her, “There is no one amongst your relatives who is called by this name.”
‘You have no relation of that name!’ they exclaimed;
62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
and they made signs to the child’s father, to find out what he wished the child to be called.
63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is Yochanan.” They all marvelled.
Asking for a writing tablet, he wrote the words – “His name is John.” Everyone was surprised
64 His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God.
65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
All their neighbours were awe-struck at this, and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about.
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.
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 His father Zechariah 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 has visited and redeemed his people;
‘Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, who has visited his people and wrought their deliverance,
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
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 who hate us;
salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us,
72 to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
showing mercy to our ancestors, 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 ancestor Abraham –
74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
that we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, in his presence all our days.
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 you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to make ready his way,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn will break on us from heaven,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, and guide our feet into the way of peace.’
80 The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilds until the time came for his appearance before Israel.
