Luke 1

1 Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,

2 just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

3 Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.

6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.

7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.

8 One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.

11 Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.

13 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, and you are to give him the name John.

14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,

15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

16 Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.

17 And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”

19 “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

20 And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.

22 When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23 And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.

24 After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,

25 “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

27 to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

28 The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”

29 When she saw this, Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30 So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31 Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to 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,

33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”

34 “How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.

36 Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.

37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

39 In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,

40 where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43 And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”

46 Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

48 For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed.

49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.

50 His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.

51 He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,

55 as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.

58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.

60 But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”

62 So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.

63 Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

64 Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.

65 All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.

66 And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” And the Lord’s hand was with him.

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.

69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,

70 as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,

71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,

73 the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

74 deliverance from the hands of our enemies, that we may serve Him without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.

76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the presence of the Lord to prepare the way for Him,

77 to give to 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 has visited us from on high,

79 to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.

1 ¶ Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

5 ¶ There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife [was] of the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elisabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were [now] well stricken in years.

8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And when Zacharias saw [him], he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men.

26 ¶ And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name [was] Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women.

29 And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

39 ¶ And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb.

43 And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45 And blessed [is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy [is] his name.

50 And his mercy [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation.

51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 He hath put down the mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree.

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy;

55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

57 ¶ Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

60 And his mother answered and said, Not [so]; but he shall be called John.

61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue [loosed], and he spake, and praised God.

65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

66 And all they that heard [them] laid [them] up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 ¶ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

68 Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

1 For many have refrained from speaking of the stories that have passed among us,

2 as have given us this, which have seen it themselves from the beginning, and have been ministers of the word:

3 I have also thought it good, after I have explored it all from the beginning, that I write it to you, my good Theophilus, with diligence properly,

4 that thou mayest know certain ground of doctrine. The reason for the teaching in which you are instructed.

5 In the days of Herod king of Judea there was a priest of the order of Abia, whose name was Zacharias, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, whose name was Elizabeth.

6 And they were both pious before God, and walked blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the LORD.

7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren: and they were both of them of a good age.

8 And it came to pass, when he was in the priest's office before God in the time of his ordinance

9 According to the custom of the priesthood, and it was upon him to burn incense, he entered into the temple of the LORD.

10 And all the multitude of the people were without, praying under the hour of incense.

11 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and stood on his right hand at the altar of incense.

12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was afraid, and fear came upon him.

13 And the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, whose name thou shalt call John.

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the LORD. He shall not drink wine or strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost while yet in his mother's womb.

16 And he shall turn many of the children of Israel unto GOD their LORD.

17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the unbelievers unto the prudence of the righteous, to prepare a people ready unto the LORD.

18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, How shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife is aged.

19 And the angel answered and said unto him, I am Gabriel, which stand before God, and am sent to speak unto thee, to shew thee these things.

20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak until the day that this shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time.

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

22 And when he was come out, he could not speak unto them. And they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he beckoned unto them, and was silent.

23 And it came to pass, when the time of his ministry was expired, that he went home to his house.

24 And after those days Elisabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, and said:

25 Thus hath the LORD done unto me in the days that he looked upon me, to take away my reproach from among men.

26 And in the sixth moon the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, which is called Nazareth,

27 To a virgin, which was trusted unto a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the name of the virgin was Ma.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, blessed art thou! The LORD is with thee, thou that givest gift among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was afraid at his speech, and thought: What greeting is this?

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: thou hast found grace with God.

31 Behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb, and bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be called great and a son of the Most High, and God the Lord will give him the throne of his father David.

33 And he shall be king over the house of Jacob for ever: and there shall be no end of his kingdom.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know of no man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And, behold, Elizabeth thy friend is also with child with a son in her old age, and is now in the sixth moon, who is in a cry that she is barren.

37 For with God no thing is impossible.

38 And Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the LORD; let it be done unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her]

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went up into the mountains in haste unto the city of Judah.

40 And came into the house of Zacharias, and greeted Elisabeth.

41 And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of her mother, that the child leaped in her womb. And Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

42 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Thou art blessed among women, and the fruit of thy womb is blessed.

43 And whence cometh it unto me, that the mother of my Lord cometh unto me?

44 Behold, when I heard the voice of thy salutation, the child leaped with joy in my womb.

45 And blessed art thou that hast believed. For that which is spoken unto thee of the LORD shall be accomplished.

46 And Mary said, My soul exalteth the LORD,

47 And my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath regarded the lowliness of his handmaid. Behold, from henceforth all the children's children shall call me blessed.

49 For he hath done great things for me, who is mighty, and whose name is holy.

50 And his mercy endureth for ever unto them that fear him.

51 He maketh violence with his arm, and scattereth them that are foolish in their heart.

52 He pusheth down the mighty from their seats, and lifteth up the lowly.

53 He filleth the hungry with good things, and maketh the rich empty.

54 He remembereth mercy, and helpeth up his servant Israel.

55 As he spake unto our fathers, unto Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

56 And Mary abode with her three months; after that she returned again].

57 And. Elizabeth's time came for her to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

58 And her neighbours and her friends heard that the LORD had shewed her great mercy, and rejoiced with her.

59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the young child, and called his name Zacharias after his father.

60 But his mother answered and said, Not at all, but he shall be called John.

61 And they said unto her: Is there no man in thy friendship whose name is so?

62 And they beckoned unto his father, as he would have him called.

63 And he called for a little tablet, and wrote, and said, His name is John. And they were all amazed.

64 And immediately his mouth and his tongue were opened, and he spake, and praised God.

65 And there came a fear upon all the neighbours, and this story was spread abroad throughout all the mountains of Judah.

66 And all that heard it took it to heart, and said: What thinkest thou that this child shall become? For the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying:

68 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel: for he hath visited and redeemed his people;

69 And hath raised up for us a horn of salvation in the house of his servant David.

70 Ancient of days hath he spoken by the mouth of his holy prophets:

71 That he might deliver us from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us,

72 And shewed mercy unto our fathers, and remembered his holy covenant.

73 And to the oath which he sware unto Abraham our father to give us,

74 That we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear all our days.

75 In holiness and righteousness, which is pleasing in his sight.

76 and thou, O child, shalt be called a prophet of the Most High: thou shalt go before the LORD, to prepare his way.

77 And give knowledge of salvation unto his people, which is in the remission of their sins,

78 through the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising from on high has visited us,

79 That he may appear to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and direct our feet into the way of peace.

80 And the young child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the wilderness, until he should stand forth before the people of Israel].