Luke 1
Prologue (1:1–4)
1 Inasmuch as many have endeavored to set forth a narrative of the things which have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning have handed these things down to us, 3 it seemed good to me as well, since I have investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it for you in orderly sequence, noble Theophilus, 4 so that you may understand for certain concerning those principles which you have been taught.
Zacharias and Elisabeth (1:5–25)
5 In the days that Herod was king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias from the priestly division of Abijah, and the name of his wife, who was of the daughters of Aaron, was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in the sight of God, conducting themselves blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was unable to have children, and they were both advanced in years. 8 And it came to pass while he was fulfilling his duties as a priest before God in the order of his division, 9 in accordance with the custom of the priest’s office, that he was chosen by lot to go into the Lord’s sanctuary and make the incense offering. 10 And all the assembly of the people were praying outside at the time of incense.
11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 And when he saw him, Zacharias was shaken and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him,
“Do not be afraid, Zacharias,
for your prayer has been heard,
and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will name him John.
14 And you will have joy and gladness,
and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord,
and he will not drink wine or strong drink,
and he will be filled with the Holy Ghost
while still in his mother’s womb.
16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel
to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before him
in the spirit and power of Elijah
to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children [Mal. 4:6]
and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous,
to prepare a people ready for the Lord.”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this? For I am old, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And answering, the angel said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. And I was sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and not be able to speak until the days when these things will happen, because you did not believe my words, which will indeed be fulfilled in their due time.”
21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias and were amazed that he spent so much time in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. For his part, he kept nodding to them and remained mute.
23 And it came to pass that when the days of his service were completed, he went to his home. 24 After these days, his wife, Elizabeth, conceived and kept herself in confinement for five months, saying, 25 “This is how the Lord has treated me in the days when he looked on me to take away my disgrace among men.”
The Annunciation (1:26–38)
26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph of the house of David. And the young woman’s name was Mary. 28 And coming in to her, he said, “Greetings, you who are favored! The Lord is with you. [You are blessed among women.]” 29 But she was confused at the statement, and wondered what kind of greeting this was.
30 And the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son
and name him Jesus.
32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father,
33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,
and there will be no end to his reign.”
34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I do not know any man?” 35 And answering, the angel said to her,
“The Holy Ghost will come upon you
and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;
therefore the holy child that is born
will be called the Son of God.
36 And behold Elizabeth, your kinswoman, even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be infertile. 37 For all things are possible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord. May it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.
Mary in Elisabeth’s Home (1:39–56)
39 So rising up in those days, Mary traveled quickly to a city in the hill country of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it came to pass that, when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost 42 and exclaimed with a loud voice and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
43 And whence has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, my baby leapt for joy inside my womb. 45 And blessed is she who has believed that there will be a fulfillment of things spoken to her from the Lord.”
46 And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit has rejoiced because of God, my savior;
48 because He has looked upon the humble station of his servant.
Now, because of this, all generations will consider me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done great things through me,
and Holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is upon generation after generation,
on those who reverence him.
51 He has performed a mighty deed with his arm,
he has scattered the proud because of the disposition of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and has sent the rich away empty-handed.
54 He has come to the aid of Israel, his child,
remembering his compassion,
55 just as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his seed, forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
Birth and Naming of John (1:57–80)
57 And the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. 60 And his mother replied and said, “No! Rather he will be called John.”
61 And they said to her, “No one among your relatives is called by that name.” 62 So they gestured to his father as to what he would call him. 63 And after asking for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, “John will be his name.” And everyone was amazed.
64 And immediately his mouth was opened, and he spoke, praising God. 65 And fear came upon all his neighbors, and all these things were discussed throughout the whole hill-country of Judea. 66 And everyone who heard pondered in their hearts, saying, “What sort of child, then, will this be,” and “Indeed, the hand of the Lord is with him.”
67 And Zacharias, his father, was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked after and prepared a redemption for his people.
69 And he has lifted up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of David his son.
70 So he has spoken through the mouth of his holy prophets,
who have been forever:
71 Salvation from our enemies,
and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 To extend mercy to our fathers,
and remember his holy covenant,
73 which oath he swore to Abraham our father
to grant to him,
74 that, having been delivered from the hand of our enemies,
he would allow us to serve him without fear
75 in his presence with holiness and righteousness
all our days.
76 And so you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his paths.
77 To give to his people knowledge of salvation
by remission of their sins
78 because of the compassionate heart of our God,
by which the rising star will visit us from heaven,
79 to show himself unto them who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
and to direct our feet in the path of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the wilderness until the days of his mission to Israel.
