1 I nasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,

Forasmuch as many have undertaken to draw up a relation concerning the matters fully believed among us,

2 j ust as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,

as those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses of and attendants on the Word have delivered them to us,

3 i t seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,

it has seemed good to me also, accurately acquainted from the origin with all things, to write to thee with method, most excellent Theophilus,

4 t hat you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias

that thou mightest know the certainty of those things in which thou hast been instructed.

5 T here was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.

6 A nd they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7 B ut they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

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

8 S o it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

And it came to pass, as he fulfilled his priestly service before God in the order of his course,

9 a ccording to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.

10 A nd the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

And all the multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense.

11 T hen an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

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

12 A nd when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

And Zacharias was troubled, seeing, and fear fell upon him.

13 B ut the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias, because thy supplication has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14 A nd you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

And he shall be to thee joy and rejoicing, and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15 F or he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

For he shall be great before Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

16 A nd he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

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

17 H e will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

And he shall go before him in spirit and power of Elias, to turn hearts of fathers to children, and disobedient ones to thoughts of just, to make ready for Lord a prepared people.

18 A nd Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife advanced in years?

19 A nd the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.

And the angel answering, said to him, I am Gabriel, who stand before God, and I have been sent to speak to thee, and to bring these glad tidings to thee;

20 B ut behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

and behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, till the day in which these things shall take place, because thou hast not believed my words, the which shall be fulfilled in their time.

21 A nd the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.

And the people were awaiting Zacharias, and they wondered at his delaying in the temple.

22 B ut when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.

But when he came out he could not speak to them, and they recognised that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, and continued dumb.

23 S o it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.

And it came to pass, when the days of his service were completed, he departed to his house.

24 N ow after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,

Now after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

25 “ Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary

Thus has Lord done to me in days in which he looked upon to take away my reproach among men.

26 N ow in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

But in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent of God to a city of Galilee, of which name Nazareth,

27 t o a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name Mary.

28 A nd having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

And the angel came in to her, and said, Hail, favoured one! the Lord with thee:.

29 B ut when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.

But she,, was troubled at his word, and reasoned in her mind what this salutation might be.

30 T hen the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God;

31 A nd behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.

and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

32 H e will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.

He shall be great, and shall be called Son of Highest; and Lord God shall give him the throne of David his father;

33 A nd He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for the ages, and of his kingdom there shall not be an end.

34 T hen Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

But Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a man?

35 A nd the angel answered and said to her, “ The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

And the angel answering said to her, Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and power of Highest overshadow thee, wherefore the holy thing also which shall be born shall be called Son of God.

36 N ow indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.

And behold, Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her that was called barren:

37 F or with God nothing will be impossible.”

for nothing shall be impossible with God.

38 T hen Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Mary Visits Elizabeth

And Mary said, Behold the bondmaid of Lord; be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

39 N ow Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

40 a nd entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth.

41 A nd it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

And it came to pass, as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with Holy Spirit,

42 T hen she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

and cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed thou amongst women, and blessed the fruit of thy womb.

43 B ut why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

And whence this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 F or indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

For behold, as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped with joy in my womb.

45 B lessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” The Song of Mary

And blessed she that has believed, for there shall be a fulfilment of the things spoken to her from Lord.

46 A nd Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,

And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 A nd my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 F or He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

For he has looked upon the low estate of his bondmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 F or He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.

For the Mighty One has done to me great things, and holy his name;

50 A nd His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.

and his mercy to generations and generations to them that fear him.

51 H e has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

He has wrought strength with his arm; he has scattered haughty in the thought of their heart.

52 H e has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.

He has put down rulers from thrones, and exalted the lowly.

53 H e has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.

He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent away the rich empty.

54 H e has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,

He has helped Israel his servant, in order to remember mercy,

55 A s He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

(as he spoke to our fathers,) to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

56 A nd Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. Birth of John the Baptist

And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her house.

57 N ow Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.

But the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth that she should bring forth, and she gave birth to a son.

58 W hen her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. Circumcision of John the Baptist

And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 S o it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.

And it came to pass on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called it after the name of his father, Zacharias.

60 H is mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”

And his mother answering said, No; but he shall be called John.

61 B ut they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”

And they said to her, There is no one among thy kinsfolk who is called by this name.

62 S o they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.

And they made signs to his father as to what he might wish it to be called.

63 A nd he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.

And having asked for a writing-table, he wrote saying, John is his name. And they all wondered.

64 I mmediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.

And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he spake, blessing God.

65 T hen fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.

And fear came upon all who dwelt round about them; and in the whole hill-country of Judaea all these things were the subject of conversation.

66 A nd all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him. Zacharias’ Prophecy

And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then will this child be? And Lord's hand was with him.

67 N ow his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

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

68 “ Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,

Blessed be Lord the God of Israel, because he has visited and wrought redemption for his people,

69 A nd has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David,

and raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of David his servant;

70 A s He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began,

as he spoke by mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began;

71 T hat we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us,

deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us;

72 T o perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant,

to fulfil mercy with our fathers and remember his holy covenant,

73 T he oath which He swore to our father Abraham:

oath which he swore to Abraham our father,

74 T o grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,

to give us, that, saved out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear

75 I n holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

in piety and righteousness before him all our days.

76 “ And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,

And thou, child, shalt be called prophet of Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of Lord to make ready his ways;

77 T o give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins,

to give knowledge of deliverance to his people by remission of their sins

78 T hrough the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;

on account of bowels of mercy of our God; wherein dayspring from on high has visited us,

79 T o give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

to shine upon them who were sitting in darkness and in shadow of death, to guide our feet into way of peace.

80 S o the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

—And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit; and he was in the deserts until the day of his shewing to Israel.