Luke Chapter 1

Introduction

1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things 12accomplished among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who 3from the beginning 4were 5eyewitnesses and 67servants of 8the 9word, 3it seemed fitting for me as well, 10having 11investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you 12in consecutive order, 13most excellent 14Theophilus; 4so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been 1516taught.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

517In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named 18Zacharias, of the 19division of 20Abijah; and he had a wife 21from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6They were both 22righteous in the sight of God, walking 23blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in 24years.

8Now it happened that while 25he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot 26to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer 27outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11And 28an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and 29fear 30gripped him. 13But the angel said to him, “31Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and 32you will 33give him the name John. 14You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will 34drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit 35while yet in his mother’s womb. 16And he will 36turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17It is he who will 37go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of 38Elijah, 39to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to 40make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For 41I am an old man and my wife is advanced in 42years.” 19The angel answered and said to him, “I am 43Gabriel, who 4445stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he 46kept 47making signs to them, and remained mute. 23When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.

24After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she 48kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25“This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to 49take away my disgrace among men.”

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26Now in the sixth month the angel 50Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called 51Nazareth, 27to 52a virgin 53engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, 54of the 55descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was 56Mary. 28And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, 57favored one! The Lord 58is with you.” 29But she 59was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30The angel said to her, “60Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you 61shall name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of 62the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him 63the throne of His father David; 3364and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, 65and His kingdom will have no end.” 34Mary said to the angel, “How 66can this be, since I 67am a virgin?” 35The angel answered and said to her, “68The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of 69the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason 70the 71holy Child shall be called 72the Son of God. 36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and 73she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37For 7475nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, the 76bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39Now 77at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to 78the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was 79filled with the Holy Spirit. 42And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And 80how has it happened to me, that the mother of 81my Lord would come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45And 82blessed is she who 83believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her 84by the Lord.”

The Magnificat

46And Mary said: “85My soul 8687exalts the Lord,47And 88my spirit has rejoiced in 89God my Savior.48For 90He has had regard for the humble state of His 91bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me 92blessed.49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.5093And His mercy is 94upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.5195He has done 96mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the 97thoughts of their heart.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has 98exalted those who were humble.5399He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed.54He has given help to Israel His servant, 100In remembrance of His mercy,55101As He spoke to our fathers, 102To Abraham and his 103descendants forever.”

56And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

John Is Born

57Now the time 104had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had 105106displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59And it happened that on 107the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, 108after his father. 60But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but 109he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” 62And they 110made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “111His name is John.” And they were all astonished. 64112And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. 65Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all 113the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For 114the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Zacharias’s Prophecy

67And his father Zacharias 115was filled with the Holy Spirit, and 116prophesied, saying:68“117Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished 118redemption for His people,69And has raised up a 119horn of salvation for us In the house of David 120His servant--70121As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets 122from of old--71123124Salvation 125from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;72126To show mercy toward our fathers, 127And to remember His holy covenant,73128The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,75129In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.76And you, child, will be called the 130prophet of 131the Most High; For you will go on 132before the Lord to 133prepare His ways;77To give to His people the knowledge of salvation 134By 135the forgiveness of their sins,78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which 136the Sunrise from on high will visit us,79137To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the 138way of peace.”

80139And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.