[1] Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things
which have been accomplished among us, [2] just as they were delivered to
us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the
word, [3] it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for
some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent
The-oph'ilus, [4] that you may know the truth concerning the things of
which you have been informed. [5] In the days of Herod, king of Judea,
there was a priest named Zechari'ah, of the division of Abi'jah; and he had
a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. [6] And they
were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and
ordinances of the Lord blameless. [7] But they had no child, because
Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. [8] Now while he was
serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, [9] according
to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple
of the Lord and burn incense. [10] And the whole multitude of the people
were praying outside at the hour of incense. [11] And there appeared to him
an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
[12] And Zechari'ah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
[13] But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechari'ah, for your
prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall
call his name John. [14] And you will have joy and gladness, and many will
rejoice at his birth; [15] for he will be great before the Lord, and he
shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy
Spirit, even from 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 Eli'jah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the
children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for
the Lord a people prepared." [18] And Zechari'ah said to the angel, "How
shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."
[19] And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence
of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
[20] And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that
these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will
be fulfilled in their time." [21] And the people were waiting for
Zechari'ah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. [22] And when he
came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a
vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb. [23] And
when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. [24] After these
days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself,
saying, [25] "Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on
me, to take away my reproach among men." [26] In the sixth month the angel
Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, [27] to a
virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and
the virgin's name was Mary. [28] And he came to her and said, "Hail, O
favored one, the Lord is with you!" [29] But she was greatly troubled at
the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.
[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 you shall call his name Jesus. [32] He will be great, and will be
called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the
throne of his father David, [33] and he will reign over the house of Jacob
for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." [34] And Mary said to
the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" [35] And the angel
said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called
holy, the Son of God. [36] And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old
age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was
called barren. [37] For with God nothing will be impossible." [38] And Mary
said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to
your word." And the angel departed from her. [39] In those days Mary arose
and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, [40] and she
entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth. [41] And when
Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit [42] and she exclaimed with a
loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your
womb! [43] And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should
come to me? [44] For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my
ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy. [45] And blessed is she who
believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from
the Lord." [46] And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, [47] and my
spirit rejoices in God my Savior, [48] for he has regarded the low estate
of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me
blessed; [49] for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy
is his name. [50] And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to
generation. [51] He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the
proud in the imagination of their hearts, [52] he has put down the mighty
from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree; [53] he has filled the
hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away. [54] He has
helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, [55] as he spoke to
our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever." [56] And Mary
remained with her about three months, and returned to her home. [57] Now
the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son.
[58] And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great
mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. [59] And on the eighth day they
came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechari'ah
after his father, [60] but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called
John." [61] And they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this
name." [62] And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have
him called. [63] And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is
John." And they all marveled. [64] And immediately his mouth was opened and
his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. [65] And fear came on all
their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the
hill country of Judea; [66] and all who heard them laid them up in their
hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord
was with him. [67] And his father Zechari'ah was filled with the Holy
Spirit, and prophesied, saying, [68] "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people, [69] and has raised up a horn
of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, [70] as he spoke by
the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, [71] that we should be saved
from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; [72] to perform the
mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, [73] the
oath which he swore to our father Abraham, [74] to grant us that we, being
delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, [75]
in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. [76] And
you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go
before the Lord to prepare his ways, [77] to give knowledge of salvation to
his people in the forgiveness of their sins, [78] through the tender mercy
of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high [79] to give light
to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet
into the way of peace." [80] And the child grew and became strong in
spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to
Israel.