Luke 1:5-36

5InG1722 theG3588 timeG2250 of HerodG2264 kingG935 of JudeaG2449 there wasG1096 aG5100 priestG2409 namedG3686 ZechariahG2197, who belonged toG1537 the priestly divisionG2183 of AbijahG7, andG2532 whose wifeG1135 ElizabethG2532G846G3588G3686G1665 was aG3588 descendantG2364 of AaronG2. 6BothG297 of them wereG1510 righteousG1342 in the sight ofG1726 GodG2316, walkingG4198 blamelesslyG273 inG1722 allG3956 theG3588 commandmentsG1785 andG2532 decreesG1345 of theG3588 LordG2962. 7ButG2532 theyG846 hadG1510 noG3756 childrenG5043, becauseG2530 ElizabethG1665 wasG1510 barrenG4723, andG2532 they wereG1510 bothG297 well alongG4260 inG1722 yearsG2250.

8One dayG1161G1096 whileG3588 Zechariah’s divisionG2183 was on dutyG1722G3588G5010 and heG846 was serving as priestG2407 beforeG1725 GodG2316, 9he was chosen by lotG2975, according toG2596 theG3588 customG1485 of theG3588 priesthoodG2405, to enterG1525G1519 theG3588 templeG3485 of theG3588 LordG2962 and burn incenseG2370. 10AndG2532 at theG3588 hourG5610 of theG3588 incense offeringG2368, theG3588 wholeG3956 congregationG4128G3588G2992 wasG1510 prayingG4336 outsideG1854.

11Just thenG1161 an angelG32 of the LordG2962 appearedG3708 toG846 Zechariah, standingG2476 atG1537 the right sideG1188 of theG3588 altarG2379 of incenseG2368. 12WhenG2532 ZechariahG2197 sawG3708 him, he was startledG5015 andG2532 grippedG1968G1909G846 with fearG5401.

13ButG1161 theG3588 angelG32 saidG2036 toG4314 himG846, “Do notG3361 be afraidG5399, ZechariahG2197, becauseG1360 yourG4771 prayerG1162 has been heardG1522. YourG4771 wifeG1135 ElizabethG1665 will bearG1080 youG4771 a sonG5207, andG2532 you are to giveG2564 himG846 theG3588 nameG3686 JohnG2491. 14He will beG1510 a joyG5479 andG2532 delightG20 to youG4771, andG2532 manyG4183 will rejoiceG5463 atG1909 hisG846 birthG1078, 15forG1063 he will beG1510 greatG3173 in the sightG1799 of theG3588 LordG2962. He shall never takeG3756G3361G4095 wineG3631 or strong drinkG4608, andG2532 he will be filledG4130 with the HolyG40 SpiritG4151 evenG2089 fromG1537 hisG846 mother’sG3384 wombG2836. 16ManyG4183 of theG3588 sonsG5207 of IsraelG2474 he will turnG1994 back toG1909 the LordG2962 theirG846 GodG2316. 17AndG2532 heG846 will go onG4281 beforeG1799 the Lord inG1722 the spiritG4151 andG2532 powerG1411 of ElijahG2243, to turnG1994 the heartsG2588 of the fathersG3962 toG1909 their childrenG50431 andG2532 the disobedientG545 toG1722 the wisdomG5428 of the righteousG1342—to make readyG2090 a peopleG2992 preparedG2680 for the LordG2962.”

18“HowG2596G5101 can I be sure ofG1097 thisG3778?” ZechariahG2197 askedG2036G4314 theG3588 angelG32. “IG1473 amG1510 an old manG4246, andG2532 myG1473 wifeG1135 is well alongG4260 inG1722 yearsG2250.”

19“IG1473 amG1510 GabrielG1043,” repliedG611G2036G846 theG3588 angelG32. “I standG3936 in the presence ofG1799 GodG2316, andG2532 I have been sentG649 to speakG2980 toG4314 youG4771 andG2532 to bring you this good newsG2097G3778G4771. 20AndG2532 nowG2400 you will beG1510 silentG4623 andG2532 unableG3361G1410 to speakG2980 untilG891 theG3739 dayG2250 this comes to passG1096, becauseG473G3739 you did not believeG3756G4100 myG1473 wordsG3056, whichG3748 will be fulfilledG4137 atG1519 theirG846 proper timeG2540.”

21MeanwhileG2532, theG3588 peopleG2992 wereG1510 waiting forG4328 ZechariahG2197 andG2532 wonderingG2296 whyG1722 heG846 took so longG5549 inG1722 theG3588 templeG3485. 22WhenG1161 he came outG1831 and was unableG3756G1410 to speakG2980 to themG846, they realizedG1921 he had seenG3708 a visionG3701 inG1722 theG3588 templeG3485. HeG846 keptG1510 making signsG1269 to themG846 butG2532 remainedG1265 unable to speakG2974. 23AndG2532G1096 whenG5613 theG3588 daysG2250 of hisG846 serviceG3009 were completeG4130, he returnedG565 homeG1519G846G3588G3624.

24

AfterG3326 theseG3778 daysG2250, hisG846 wifeG1135 ElizabethG1665 became pregnantG4815 andG2532 for fiveG4002 monthsG3376 remained in seclusionG4032G1438. She declaredG3004, 25“The LordG2962 has doneG4160 this for meG1473. InG1722 these daysG2250 He has shown me favorG1896 and taken awayG851 myG1473 disgraceG3681 amongG1722 the peopleG444.”

26

InG1722 theG3588 sixthG1623 monthG3376, GodG2316 sentG649 theG3588 angelG32 GabrielG1043 toG1519 a townG4172 in GalileeG1056 calledG3686 NazarethG3478, 27toG4314 a virginG3933 pledged in marriageG3423 to a manG435 namedG3686 JosephG2501, who was ofG1537 the houseG3624 of DavidG1138. AndG2532 theG3588 virgin’sG3933 nameG3686 was MaryG3137. 28The angel appearedG1525 toG4314 herG846 and saidG2036, “GreetingsG5463,2 you who are highly favoredG5487! TheG3588 LordG2962 is withG3326 youG4771.3”

29

Mary was greatly troubledG1298 atG1909 his wordsG3056 andG2532 wonderedG1260 what kindG4217 ofG3588 greetingG783 thisG3778 might beG1510. 30SoG2532 theG3588 angelG32 toldG2036 herG846, “Do notG3361 be afraidG5399, MaryG3137, forG1063 you have foundG2147 favorG5485 withG3844 GodG2316. 31BeholdG2532G2400, you will conceiveG4815G1722G1064 andG2532 give birth toG5088 a sonG5207, andG2532 you are to giveG2564 HimG846 theG3588 nameG3686 JesusG2424. 32HeG3778 will beG1510 greatG3173 andG2532 will be calledG2564 the SonG5207 of the Most HighG5310. TheG3588 LordG2962 GodG2316 will giveG1325 HimG846 theG3588 throneG2362 of HisG846 fatherG3962 DavidG1138, 33andG2532 He will reignG936 overG1909 theG3588 houseG3624 of JacobG2384 foreverG1519G3588G165. HisG846 kingdomG932 willG1510 neverG3756 endG5056!”

34

“HowG4459 can this beG3778G1510,” MaryG3137 askedG2036 theG3588 angelG32, “sinceG1893 I am a virginG3756G1097G435?”

35TheG3588 angelG32 repliedG611G2036G846, “The HolyG40 SpiritG4151 will comeG1904 uponG1909 youG4771, andG2532 the powerG1411 of the Most HighG5310 will overshadowG1982 youG4771. SoG1352G2532 theG3588 Holy OneG40 to be bornG10804 will be calledG2564 the SonG5207 of GodG2316. 36LookG2400, evenG2532 ElizabethG1665 yourG4771 relativeG4773 has conceivedG4815 a sonG5207 inG1722 herG846 old ageG1094, andG2532 she whoG3588 was calledG2564 barrenG4723 isG1510 in herG846 sixthG1623 monthG3376.