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Introduction
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us.
Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us.
just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus,
so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.
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.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week.
So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.
Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.
And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.
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.
You will have great 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 shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.
And he will turn many of the children 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.”
Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
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.”
Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!
But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”
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.”
Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
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 Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.
So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.
Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,
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,
to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!
Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.
He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
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.
And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
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.
What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.
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.
Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town
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,
where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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.
Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.
Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise
Mary responded,
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
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 the Mighty One is holy,
and he has done great things for me.
and he has done great things for me.
For He who is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
And holy is His name.
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
to all who fear him.
And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
From generation to generation.
His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
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 brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
and exalted the humble.
He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
And exalted the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
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 helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
and remembered to be merciful.
He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
In remembrance of His mercy,
For he made this promise to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.”
to Abraham and his children forever.”
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
The Birth of John the Baptist
When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.
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.
And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.
When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father.
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.
But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”
His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.”
But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him.
So they made signs to his father — what he would have him called.
He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.”
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.
Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
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.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
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:
“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has visited and redeemed his people.
because he has visited and redeemed his people.
“Blessed is 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 His servant David,
In the house of His servant David,
just as he promised
through his holy prophets long ago.
through his holy prophets long ago.
As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,
Who have been since the world began,
Now we will be saved from our enemies
and from all who hate us.
and from 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,
He has been merciful to our ancestors
by remembering his sacred covenant —
by remembering his sacred covenant —
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
And to remember His holy covenant,
the covenant he swore with an oath
to our ancestor Abraham.
to our ancestor Abraham.
The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
We have been rescued from our enemies
so we can serve God without fear,
so we can serve God without fear,
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,
in holiness and righteousness
for as long as we live.
for as long as we live.
In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
“And you, my little son,
will be called the prophet of the Most High,
because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
will be called the prophet of the Most High,
because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
“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,
You will tell his people how to find salvation
through forgiveness of their sins.
through forgiveness of their sins.
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
By the remission of their sins,
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace.”
and to guide us to the path of peace.”
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.”