Luke Chapter 1

Introduction

1Since 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 to me as well, 10having 11investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you 12in an orderly sequence, 13most excellent 14Theophilus; 4so that you may know the exact truth about the 15things you have been 1617taught.

John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold

518In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, 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. 7And yet they had no child, because Elizabeth was infertile, 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. 11Now 28an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and 29fear 30gripped him. 13But the angel said to him, “31Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and 32you shall 33name him John. 14You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over 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 still in his mother’s womb. 16And he will 36turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17And it is he who will 37go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of 38Elijah, 39to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to 40make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For 41I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her 42years.” 19The angel answered and said to him, “I am 43Gabriel, who 4445stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20And behold, you will 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 at their proper time.”

21And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, 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 repeatedly 4647made signs to them, and remained speechless. 23When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.

24Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself 48in 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 people.”

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26Now in the sixth month the angel 50Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named 51Nazareth, 27to 52a virgin 53betrothed 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, favored one! The Lord 57is with you.” 29But she 58was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30And the angel said to her, “59Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you 60shall name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of 61the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him 62the throne of His father David; 3363and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, 64and His kingdom will have no end.” 34But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I 65am a virgin?” 35The angel answered and said to her, “66The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of 67the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also 68the 69holy Child will be called 70the Son of God. 36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and 71she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. 37For 72nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39Now 73at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to 74the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was 75filled 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 76how has it happened to me that the mother of 77my 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 78blessed is she who 79believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her 80by the Lord.”

Mary’s Song: The Magnificat

46And Mary said: “81My soul 8283exalts the Lord,47And 84my spirit has rejoiced in 85God my Savior.48For 86He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will 87call me 88blessed.49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.5089And His mercy is to generation 90after generation Toward those who fear Him.5191He has done 92mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the 93thoughts of their hearts.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has 94exalted those who were humble.5395He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed.54He has given help to His servant Israel, 96In remembrance of His mercy,5597Just as He spoke to our fathers, 98To Abraham and his 99descendants forever.”

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

John the Baptist Is Born

57Now the time 100had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had 101102displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59And it happened that on 103the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, 104after his father. 60And yet his mother responded and said, “No indeed; but 105he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62And they 106107made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote 108as follows, “109His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 64110And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God. 65And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in 111the entire hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For indeed 112the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67And his father Zechariah 113was filled with the Holy Spirit and 114prophesied, saying:68“115Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished 116redemption for His people,69And has raised up a 117horn of salvation for us In the house of 118His servant David--70119Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets 120from ancient times--71121122Salvation 123from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;72124To show mercy to our fathers, 125And to remember His holy covenant,73126The oath which He swore to our father Abraham,74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Would serve Him without fear,75127In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.76And you, child, also will be called the 128prophet of 129the Most High; For you will go on 130before the Lord to 131prepare His ways;77To give His people the knowledge of salvation 132By 133the forgiveness of their sins,78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which 134the Sunrise from on high will visit us,79135To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the 136way of peace.”

80137Now the child grew and was becoming strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.