Dedication to Theophilus
1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of thosethings which have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as those whofrom the beginning wereeyewitnesses and ministers of the worddelivered them to us,
3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account,most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias
5 There wasin the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias,of the division ofAbijah. Hiswifewasof the daughters of Aaron, and her namewasElizabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fellto burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side ofthe altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias sawhim,he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 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, andyou shall call his name John.
14 And you will have joy and gladness, andmany will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will begreat in the sight of the Lord, andshall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit,even from his mother’s womb.
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 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.”
18 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.”
19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I amGabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these gladtidings.
20 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.”
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
22 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.
23 So it was, as soon asthe days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,
25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked onme,totake away my reproach among people.”
Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virginbetrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s namewasMary.
28 And having come in, the angel said to her,“Rejoice, highly favoredone,the Lordiswith you; blessedareyou among women!”
29 But when she sawhim,she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have foundfavor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, andshall call His nameJesus.
32 He will be great,and will be called the Son of the Highest; andthe Lord God will give Him thethrone of Hisfather David.
33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answered and said to her,“TheHoly 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 calledthe Son of God.
36 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.
37 Forwith God nothing will be impossible.”
38 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
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste,to a city of Judah,
40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth wasfilled with the Holy Spirit.
42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said,“Blessedareyou among women, and blessedisthe fruit of your womb!
43 But whyisthisgrantedto me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 Blessedisshe who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
The Song of Mary
46 And Mary said:
# “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit hasrejoiced inGod my Savior.
48 ForHe has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
# For behold, henceforthall generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mightyhas done great things for me,
# AndholyisHis name.
50 AndHis mercyison those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with His arm;
# He has scatteredtheproud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty fromtheirthrones,
And exaltedthelowly.
53 He hasfilledthehungry with good things,
Andtherich He has sent away empty.
54 He has helped Hisservant Israel,
# In remembrance ofHismercy,
55 As He spoke to ourfathers,
# To Abraham and to hisseed forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, theyrejoiced with her.
Circumcision of John the Baptist
59 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.
60 His mother answered and said,“No; he shall be called John.”
61 But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongueloosed,and he spoke, praising God.
65 Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 And all those who heardthemkeptthemin their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” Andthe hand of the Lord was with him.
Zacharias’ Prophecy
67 Now his father Zachariaswas filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68 “Blessedisthe Lord God of Israel,
# ForHe 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,
# Whohavebeensince the world began,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 To perform the mercypromisedto our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
# Mightserve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 “And you, child, will be called theprophet of the Highest;
# Foryou will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To giveknowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
# Toguide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 Sothe child grew and became strong in spirit, andwas in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.