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Introduction
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,
Dedication to Theophilus
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,
just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,
it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;
it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.
And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.
And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.
And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
“You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.
for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
“And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
“It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
and 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 make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
“And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.
And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.
But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.
And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute.
When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
“This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”
“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
Jesus’ Birth Foretold
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,
Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”
But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.
But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.
“And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.
And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah,
Mary Visits Elizabeth
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
“And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?
And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
“For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.
For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”
The Magnificat
And Mary said:
“My soul exalts the Lord,
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
“For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
And holy is His name.
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
and holy is his name.
“AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION
TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
And his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
from generation to generation.
“He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
And has exalted those who were humble.
he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
and exalted those of humble estate;
and exalted those of humble estate;
“HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
and the rich he has sent away empty.
“He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
In remembrance of His mercy,
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
in remembrance of his mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever.”
To Abraham and his descendants forever.”
as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.
And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
John Is Born
Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
The Birth of John the Baptist
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.
And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.
And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,
But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”
but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.”
And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”
And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”
And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.
And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.
And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished.
And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.
And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.
And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,
All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.
and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zacharias’s Prophecy
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
Zechariah’s Prophecy
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
for he has visited and redeemed his people
And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant —
In the house of David His servant —
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
in the house of his servant David,
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old —
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,
And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;
And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
and from the hand of all who hate us;
To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
And to remember His holy covenant,
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
and to remember his holy covenant,
The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
Might serve Him without fear,
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
might serve him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;
For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,
By the forgiveness of their sins,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
in the forgiveness of their sins,
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”