- 1As I am a messenger of Jesus Christ, and knowing that many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2even as they delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, 3it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto you in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4that you might know the certainty of those things wherein you have been instructed.
- 5There was, in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah, and his wife — being of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth — 6were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless; 7and they had no child. Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well-stricken in years.
- 8And while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his priesthood, 9according to the law — his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord — 10the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the time of incense. 11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12And when Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled and fear fell upon him; 13but the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14You shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth, 15for 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. 16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17And he shall go before the Lord 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.
- 18And Zacharias said unto the angel, How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well-stricken in years. 19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speak unto you, and to show you these glad tidings. 20And behold, you shall be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because you believed not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22And 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; 23and as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24And after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach from among men.
- 26And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And the angel came in unto her and said, Hail, virgin, who are highly favored of the Lord. The Lord is with you, for you are chosen and blessed among women. 29And when she saw the angel, she was troubled at his saying, and pondered in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you shall conceive, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name Jesus. 32He 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. 33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
- 34Then said Mary unto the angel, How can this be? 35And the angel answered and said unto her, Of the holy ghost and the power of the Highest. Therefore also, that holy child that shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God. 36And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth, she has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her who is called barren; 37for with God, nothing can be impossible. 38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.
- 39And in those days, Mary went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. 41And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the holy ghost, 42and she spoke out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And why is it that this blessing is upon me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, as soon as the voice of your salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45And blessed are you who believed, for those things which were told you of the angel of the Lord shall be fulfilled.
- 46And Mary said, My soul does magnify the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed, 49for he who is mighty has done to me great things, and I will magnify his holy name 50for his mercy on those who fear him from generation to generation. 51He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52He has put down the mighty from their high seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53He has filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he has sent away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel in remembrance of mercy, 55as he spoke to our fathers — to Abraham and to his seed for ever. 56And Mary abided with Elizabeth about three months and returned to her own house.
- 57And now Elizabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58And her neighbors and her kinsmen heard how the Lord had shown great mercy unto her, and they rejoiced with her. 59And 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. 60And his mother answered and said, Not so, but he shall be called John. 61And they said unto her, There is none of your kindred that is called by this name. 62And they made signs to his father and asked him how he would have him called. 63And he asked for a writing table and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they all marveled. 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and he spoke with his tongue and praised God, 65and fear came on all who dwelled round about them. And all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66And 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 it.
- 67And its father Zacharias was filled with the holy ghost and prophesied, saying, 68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, 69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, 70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets ever since the world began, 71that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us, 72to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, 73the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, 74that he would grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives. 76And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest, for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, 77to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by baptism for the remission of their sins, 78through the tender mercy of our God whereby the daybreak from on high has visited us, 79to give light to them who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
- 80And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts until the day of his showing unto Israel.
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
Chapter 1