Luke 1:2-32

2just as they were handed down to us by those who 1from the beginning 2were 3eyewitnesses and 45servants of 6the 7word, 3it seemed fitting for me as well, 8having 9investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you 10in consecutive order, 11most excellent 12Theophilus; 4so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been 1314taught.

515In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named 16Zacharias, of the 17division of 18Abijah; and he had a wife 19from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6They were both 20righteous in the sight of God, walking 21blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in 22years.

8Now it happened that while 23he 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 24to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer 25outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11And 26an 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 27fear 28gripped him. 13But the angel said to him, “29Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and 30you will 31give 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 32drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit 33while yet in his mother’s womb. 16And he will 34turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17It is he who will 35go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of 36Elijah, 37to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to 38make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For 39I am an old man and my wife is advanced in 40years.” 19The angel answered and said to him, “I am 41Gabriel, who 4243stands 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 44kept 45making 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 46kept 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 47take away my disgrace among men.”

26Now in the sixth month the angel 48Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called 49Nazareth, 27to 50a virgin 51engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, 52of the 53descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was 54Mary. 28And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, 55favored one! The Lord 56is with you.” 29But she 57was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30The angel said to her, “58Do 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 59shall name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of 60the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him 61the throne of His father David;