1:1 | Now* many have undertaken to compile an account* of the things* that have been fulfilled* among us, |
1:2 | like the accounts* passed on* to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word* from the beginning.* |
1:3 | So* it seemed good to me as well,* because I have followed* all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account* for you, most excellent Theophilus, |
1:4 | so that you may know for certain* the things you were taught.* |
1:5 | During the reign* of Herod* king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to* the priestly division of Abijah,* and he had a wife named Elizabeth,* who was a descendant of Aaron.* |
1:6 | They* were both righteous in the sight of God, following* all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.* |
1:7 | But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren,* and they were both very old.* |
1:8 | Now* while Zechariah* was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,* |
1:9 | he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood,* to enter* the holy place* of the Lord and burn incense. |
1:10 | Now* the whole crowd* of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.* |
1:11 | An* angel of the Lord,* standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeared* to him. |
1:12 | And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel,* was seized with fear.* |
1:13 | 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; you* will name him John.* |
1:14 | Joy and gladness will come* to you, and many will rejoice at* his birth,* |
1:15 | for he will be great in the sight of* the Lord. He* must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.* |
1:16 | He* will turn* many of the people* of Israel to the Lord their God. |
1:17 | And he will go as forerunner before the Lord* in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,* to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.” |
1:18 | Zechariah* said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this?* For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.”* |
1:19 | The* angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands* in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring* you this good news. |
1:20 | And now,* because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time,* you will be silent, unable to speak,* until the day these things take place.” |
1:21 | Now* the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder* why he was delayed in the holy place.* |
1:22 | When* he came out, he was not able to speak to them. They* realized that he had seen a vision* in the holy place,* because* he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak.* |
1:23 | When his time of service was over,* he went to his home. |
1:24 | After some time* his wife Elizabeth became pregnant,* and for five months she kept herself in seclusion.* She said,* |
1:25 | “This is what* the Lord has done for me at the time* when he has been gracious to me,* to take away my disgrace* among people.”* |
1:26 | In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy,* the angel Gabriel* was sent by* God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,* |
1:27 | to a virgin engaged* to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David,* and the virgin’s name was Mary. |
1:28 | The* angel* came* to her and said, “Greetings, favored one,* the Lord is with you!”* |
1:29 | But* she was greatly troubled* by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting.* |
1:30 | So* the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,* Mary, for you have found favor* with God! |
1:31 | Listen:* You will become pregnant* and give birth to* a son, and you will name him* Jesus.* |
1:32 | 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. |
1:33 | He* will reign over the house of Jacob* forever, and his kingdom will never end.” |
1:34 | Mary* said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with* a man?” |
1:35 | The angel replied,* “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow* you. Therefore the child* to be born* will be holy;* he will be called the Son of God. |
1:36 | “And look,* your relative* Elizabeth has also become pregnant with* a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month!* |
1:37 | For nothing* will be impossible with God.” |
1:38 | So* Mary said, “Yes,* I am a servant* of the Lord; let this happen to me* according to your word.”* Then* the angel departed from her. |
1:39 | In those days* Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah,* |
1:40 | and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. |
1:41 | When* Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped* in her* womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.* |
1:42 | She* exclaimed with a loud voice,* “Blessed are you among women,* and blessed is the child* in your womb! |
1:43 | And who am I* that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? |
1:44 | For the instant* the sound of your greeting reached my ears,* the baby in my womb leaped for joy.* |
1:45 | And blessed* is she who believed that* what was spoken to her by* the Lord would be fulfilled.”* |
1:46 | And Mary* said,* “My soul exalts* the Lord,* |
1:47 | and my spirit has begun to rejoice* in God my Savior, |
1:48 | because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant.* For* from now on* all generations will call me blessed,* |
1:49 | because he who is mighty* has done great things for me, and holy is his name; |
1:50 | from* generation to generation he is merciful* to those who fear* him. |
1:51 | He has demonstrated power* with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance* of their hearts. |
1:52 | He has brought down the mighty* from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position;* |
1:53 | he has filled the hungry with good things,* and has sent the rich away empty.* |
1:54 | He has helped his servant Israel, remembering* his mercy,* |
1:55 | as he promised* to our ancestors,* to Abraham and to his descendants* forever.” |
1:56 | So* Mary stayed with Elizabeth* about three months* and then returned to her home. |
1:57 | Now the time came* for Elizabeth to have her baby,* and she gave birth to a son. |
1:58 | Her* neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown* great mercy to her, and they rejoiced* with her. |
1:59 | On* the eighth day* they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to name* him Zechariah after his father. |
1:60 | But* his mother replied,* “No! He must be named* John.”* |
1:61 | They* said to her, “But* none of your relatives bears this name.”* |
1:62 | So* they made signs to the baby’s* father,* inquiring what he wanted to name his son.* |
1:63 | He* asked for a writing tablet* and wrote,* “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.* |
1:64 | Immediately* Zechariah’s* mouth was opened and his tongue* released,* and he spoke, blessing God. |
1:65 | All* their neighbors were filled with fear, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea all these things were talked about. |
1:66 | All* who heard these things* kept them in their hearts,* saying, “What then will this child be?”* For the Lord’s hand* was indeed with him. |
1:67 | Then* his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,* |
1:68 | “Blessed* be the Lord God of Israel, because he has come to help* and has redeemed* his people. |
1:69 | For* he has raised up* a horn of salvation* for us in the house of his servant David,* |
1:70 | as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago,* |
1:71 | that we should be saved* from our enemies,* and from the hand of all who hate us. |
1:72 | He has done this* to show mercy* to our ancestors,* and to remember his holy covenant* – |
1:73 | the oath* that he swore to our ancestor* Abraham. This oath grants* |
1:74 | that we, being rescued from the hand of our* enemies, may serve him without fear,* |
1:75 | in holiness and righteousness* before him for as long as we live.* |
1:76 | And you, child,* will be called the prophet* of the Most High.* For you will go before* the Lord to prepare his ways,* |
1:77 | to give his people knowledge of salvation* through the forgiveness* of their sins. |
1:78 | Because of* our God’s tender mercy* the dawn* will break* upon us from on high |
1:79 | to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,* to guide our feet into the way* of peace.” |
1:80 | And the child kept growing* and becoming strong* in spirit, and he was in the wilderness* until the day he was revealed* to Israel. |