Chapter 1
1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled amongst us ,
2 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us ,
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 ;
4 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed .
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 .
6 They were both righteous before God , walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord .
7 But they had no child , because Elizabeth was barren , and they both were well advanced in years .
8 Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order 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 .
10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense .
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him , standing on the right side of the altar of incense .
12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him , and fear fell upon him .
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 .
14 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 , and he will drink no wine nor strong drink . He will be filled with the Holy Spirit , even from his mother ’ s womb .
16 He will turn many of the children of Israel 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 ."
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 ."
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 .
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 ."
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias , and they marvelled that he delayed 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 .
23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house .
24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived , and she hid herself five months , saying ,
25 " Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me , to take away my reproach amongst men ."
26 Now in the sixth month , the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named 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 .
28 Having come in , the angel said to her , " Rejoice , you highly favoured one ! The Lord is with you . Blessed are you amongst women!"
29 But when she saw him , she was greatly troubled at the saying , and considered what kind of salutation this might be .
30 The angel said to her , "Don’ t 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 ‘ 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 ,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever . There will be no end to his Kingdom."
34 Mary said to the angel, " How can this be , seeing I am a virgin ?"
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 .
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 .
37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible ."
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 .
39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste , into a city of Judah ,
40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth .
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary ’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb ; and Elizabeth 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 !
43 Why am I so favoured, 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!
45 Blessed is she who believed , for there will be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord !"
46 Mary said , " My soul magnifies the Lord .
47 My spirit has rejoiced 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 .
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me . Holy is his name .
50 His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him .
51 He has shown strength with his arm . He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts .
52 He has put down princes from their thrones , and has exalted the lowly .
53 He has filled the hungry with good things . He has sent the rich away empty .
54 He has given help to Israel , his servant , that he might remember mercy ,
55 as he spoke to our fathers , to Abraham and his offspring forever ."
56 Mary stayed with her about three months , and then returned to her house .
57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and 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 .
59 On the eighth day , they came to circumcise the child ; and they would have called him Zacharias , after the name of his father .
60 His mother answered , " Not so ; but he will be called John ."
61 They said to her , " There is no one amongst your relatives who is called by this name ."
62 They made signs to his father , what he would have him called .
63 He asked for a writing tablet , and wrote , " His name is John ." They all marvelled .
64 His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke , blessing God .
65 Fear came on all who lived around them , and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea .
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 .
67 His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit , and prophesied , saying ,
68 " Blessed be the Lord , the God of Israel , for he has visited and redeemed his people ;
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70 ( as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us ;
72 to show mercy towards our fathers , to remember his holy covenant ,
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father ,
74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies , should serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
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 ,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God , by which the dawn from on high will visit us ,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death ; to 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 .