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just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
He will also 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 a people prepared for the Lord.”
And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous — to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; 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. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.
Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
Mary Visits Elizabeth
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Mary’s Song
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And holy is His name.
for the Mighty One has done great things for me —
holy is his name.
holy is his name.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
From generation to generation.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
And exalted the lowly.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
but has lifted up the humble.
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 filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
In remembrance of His mercy,
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
remembering to be merciful
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
just as he promised our ancestors.”
And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Birth of John the Baptist
Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
The Birth of John the Baptist
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
Circumcision of John the Baptist
So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
So they made signs to his father — what he would have him called.
Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.
Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
Zacharias’ Prophecy
Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
Zechariah’s Song
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
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,
Who have been since the world began,
Who have been since the world began,
(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
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,
salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us —
and from the hand of all who hate us —
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
And to remember His holy covenant,
to show mercy to our ancestors
and to remember his holy covenant,
and to remember his holy covenant,
To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
and to enable us to serve him without fear
and to enable us to serve him without fear
In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
By the remission of their sins,
to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
through the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
To give light to 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 shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”