1 V isto que muitos têm empreendido fazer uma narração coordenada dos fatos que entre nós se realizaram,

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,

2 s egundo no-los transmitiram os que desde o princípio foram testemunhas oculares e ministros da palavra,

just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,

3 t ambém a mim, depois de haver investido tudo cuidadosamente desde o começo, pareceu-me bem, ó excelentíssimo Teófilo, escrever-te uma narração em ordem.

it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;

4 p ara que conheças plenamente a verdade das coisas em que foste instruído.

so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 H ouve nos dias do Rei Herodes, rei da Judéia, um sacerdote chamado Zacarias, da turma de Abias; e sua mulher era descendente de Arão, e chamava-se Isabel.

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6 A mbos eram justos diante de Deus, andando irrepreensíveis em todos os mandamentos e preceitos do Senhor.

They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

7 M as não tinham filhos, porque Isabel era estéril, e ambos avançados em idade.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

8 O ra, estando ele a exercer as funções sacerdotais perante Deus, na ordem da sua turma,

Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,

9 s egundo o costume do sacerdócio, coube-lhe por sorte entrar no santuário do Senhor, para oferecer o incenso;

according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 e toda a multidão do povo orava da parte de fora, ã hora do incenso.

And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.

11 A pareceu-lhe, então, um anjo do Senhor, em pé ã direita do altar do incenso.

And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

12 E Zacarias, vendo-o, ficou turbado, e o temor o assaltou.

Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.

13 M as o anjo lhe disse: Não temais, Zacarias; porque a tua oração foi ouvida, e Isabel, tua mulher, te dará ã luz um filho, e lhe porás o nome de João;

But the angel said to him, “ Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.

14 e terás alegria e regozijo, e muitos se alegrarão com o seu nascimento;

You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15 p orque ele será grande diante do Senhor; não beberá vinho, nem bebida forte; e será cheio do Espírito Santo já desde o ventre de sua mãe;

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb.

16 c onverterá muitos dos filhos de Israel ao Senhor seu Deus;

And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.

17 i rá adiante dele no espírito e poder de Elias, para converter os corações dos pais aos filhos, e os rebeldes ã prudência dos justos, a fim de preparar para o Senhor um povo apercebido.

It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 D isse então Zacarias ao anjo: Como terei certeza disso? pois eu sou velho, e minha mulher também está avançada em idade.

Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain ? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”

19 A o que lhe respondeu o anjo: Eu sou Gabriel, que assisto diante de Deus, e fui enviado para te falar e te dar estas boas novas;

The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

20 e eis que ficarás mudo, e não poderás falar até o dia em que estas coisas aconteçam; porquanto não creste nas minhas palavras, que a seu tempo hão de cumprir-se.

And 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.”

21 O povo estava esperando Zacarias, e se admirava da sua demora no santuário.

The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.

22 Q uando saiu, porém, não lhes podia falar, e perceberam que tivera uma visão no santuário. E falava-lhes por acenos, mas permanecia mudo.

But 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 kept making signs to them, and remained mute.

23 E , terminados os dias do seu ministério, voltou para casa.

When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.

24 D epois desses dias Isabel, sua mulher, concebeu, e por cinco meses se ocultou, dizendo:

After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,

25 A ssim me fez o Senhor nos dias em que atentou para mim, a fim de acabar com o meu opróbrio diante dos homens.

“This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.” Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 O ra, no sexto mês, foi o anjo Gabriel enviado por Deus a uma cidade da Galiléia, chamada Nazaré,

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,

27 a uma virgem desposada com um varão cujo nome era José, da casa de Davi; e o nome da virgem era Maria.

to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

28 E , entrando o anjo onde ela estava disse: Salve, agraciada; o Senhor é contigo.

And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”

29 E la, porém, ao ouvir estas palavras, turbou-se muito e pôs-se a pensar que saudação seria essa.

But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.

30 D isse-lhe então o anjo: Não temas, Maria; pois achaste graça diante de Deus.

The angel said to her, “ Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.

31 E is que conceberás e darás ã luz um filho, ao qual porás o nome de Jesus.

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

32 E ste será grande e será chamado filho do Altíssimo; o Senhor Deus lhe dará o trono de Davi seu pai;

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;

33 e reinará eternamente sobre a casa de Jacó, e o seu reino não terá fim.

and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

34 E ntão Maria perguntou ao anjo: Como se fará isso, uma vez que não conheço varão?

Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

35 R espondeu-lhe o anjo: Virá sobre ti o Espírito Santo, e o poder do Altíssimo te cobrirá com a sua sombra; por isso o que há de nascer será chamado santo, Filho de Deus.

The angel answered and said to her, “ The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

36 E is que também Isabel, tua parenta concebeu um filho em sua velhice; e é este o sexto mês para aquela que era chamada estéril;

And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.

37 p orque para Deus nada será impossível.

For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38 D isse então Maria. Eis aqui a serva do Senhor; cumpra-se em mim segundo a tua palavra. E o anjo ausentou-se dela.

And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 N aqueles dias levantou-se Maria, foi apressadamente ã região montanhosa, a uma cidade de Judá,

Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah,

40 e ntrou em casa de Zacarias e saudou a Isabel.

and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

41 A o ouvir Isabel a saudação de Maria, saltou a criancinha no seu ventre, e Isabel ficou cheia do Espírito Santo,

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 e exclamou em alta voz: Bendita és tu entre as mulheres, e bendito é o fruto do teu ventre!

And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43 E donde me provém isto, que venha visitar-me a mãe do meu Senhor?

And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me?

44 P ois logo que me soou aos ouvidos a voz da tua saudação, a criancinha saltou de alegria dentro de mim.

For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.

45 B em-aventurada aquela que creu que se hão de cumprir as coisas que da parte do Senhor lhe foram ditas.

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” The Magnificat

46 D isse então Maria: A minha alma engrandece ao Senhor,

And Mary said: “ My soul exalts the Lord,

47 e o meu espírito exulta em Deus meu Salvador;

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48 p orque atentou na condição humilde de sua serva. Desde agora, pois, todas as gerações me chamarão bem-aventurada,

“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

49 p orque o Poderoso me fez grandes coisas; e santo é o seu nome.

“For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.

50 E a sua misericórdia vai de geração em geração sobre os que o temem.

“ And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.

51 C om o seu braço manifestou poder; dissipou os que eram soberbos nos pensamentos de seus corações;

“ He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

52 d epôs dos tronos os poderosos, e elevou os humildes.

“He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.

53 A os famintos encheu de bens, e vazios despediu os ricos.

“ He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed.

54 A uxiliou a Isabel, seu servo, lembrando-se de misericórdia

“He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy,

55 ( como falou a nossos pais) para com Abraão e a sua descendência para sempre.

As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

56 E Maria ficou com ela cerca de três meses; e depois voltou para sua casa.

And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home. John Is Born

57 O ra, completou-se para Isabel o tempo de dar ã luz, e teve um filho.

Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

58 O uviram seus vizinhos e parentes que o Senhor lhe multiplicara a sua misericórdia, e se alegravam com ela.

Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59 S ucedeu, pois, no oitavo dia, que vieram circuncidar o menino; e queriam dar-lhe o nome de seu pai, Zacarias.

And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.

60 R espondeu, porém, sua mãe: De modo nenhum, mas será chamado João.

But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.”

61 A o que lhe disseram: Ninguém há na tua parentela que se chame por este nome.

And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.”

62 E perguntaram por acenos ao pai como queria que se chamasse.

And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

63 E pedindo ele uma tabuinha, escreveu: Seu nome é João. E todos se admiraram.

And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “ His name is John.” And they were all astonished.

64 I mediatamente a boca se lhe abriu, e a língua se lhe soltou; louvando a Deus.

And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God.

65 E ntão veio temor sobre todos os seus vizinhos; e em toda a região montanhosa da Judéia foram divulgadas todas estas coisas.

Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.

66 E todos os que delas souberam as guardavam no coração, dizendo: Que virá a ser, então, este menino? Pois a mão do Senhor estava com ele.

All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. Zacharias’s Prophecy

67 Z acarias, seu pai, ficou cheio do Espírito Santo e profetizou, dizendo:

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

68 B endito, seja o Senhor Deus de Israel, porque visitou e remiu o seu povo,

“ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

69 e para nós fez surgir uma salvação poderosa na casa de Davi, seu servo;

And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant—

70 a ssim como desde os tempos antigos tem anunciado pela boca dos seus santos profetas;

As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—

71 p ara nos livrar dos nossos inimigos e da mão de todos os que nos odeiam;

Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;

72 p ara usar de misericórdia com nossos pais, e lembrar-se do seu santo pacto

To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,

73 e do juramento que fez a Abrão, nosso pai,

The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,

74 d e conceder-nos que, libertados da mão de nossos inimigos, o servíssemos sem temor,

To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,

75 e m santidade e justiça perante ele, todos os dias da nossa vida.

In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

76 E tu, menino, serás chamado profeta do Altíssimo, porque irás ante a face do Senhor, a preparar os seus caminhos;

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;

77 p ara dar ao seu povo conhecimento da salvação, na remissão dos seus pecados,

To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,

78 g raças ã entrenhável misericórdia do nosso Deus, pela qual nos há de visitar a aurora lá do alto,

Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

79 p ara alumiar aos que jazem nas trevas e na sombra da morte, a fim de dirigir os nossos pés no caminho da paz.

To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 O ra, o menino crescia, e se robustecia em espírito; e habitava nos desertos até o dia da sua manifestação a Israel.

And 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.