Luke 1:1-73
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 1
1Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3it seemed fitting to me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in an orderly sequence, most excellent Theophilus; 4so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.
5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly 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 years.
8Now it happened that while he 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 to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.
11Now an 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 fear gripped him.
13But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name 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 drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.
16And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.
17And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF FATHERS BACK TO their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'
18Zechariah said to the angel, 'How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her years.'
19The angel answered and said to him, 'I am Gabriel, who stands 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 made 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 in seclusion for five months, saying,
25This 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 people.'
26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth,
27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.
28And coming in, he said to her, 'Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.'
29But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was.
30And the angel said to her, 'Do 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 shall name Him Jesus.
32He 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;
33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.'
34But Mary said to the angel, 'How will this be, since I am a virgin?'
35The angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God.
36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month.
37For nothing 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.
39Now at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to the 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 filled 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 how has it happened to me that the mother of my 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 blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.'
47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.
50And His mercy is to generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.
51He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54He has given help to His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,
55Just as He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever.'
57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.
59And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.
60And yet his mother responded and said, 'No indeed; but he shall be called John.'
61And they said to her, 'There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.'
62And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.
63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, 'His name is John.' And they were all amazed.
64And 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 the 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 the hand of the Lord was with him.
68'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David—
70Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient times—
71 Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;
72To show mercy to our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham,
King James Version
Chapter 1
1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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.
18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:
33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
37For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
57Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
61And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
65And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
66And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 1
1Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us. 3So it also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.
5In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah's division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6Both were righteous in God's sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.
7But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.
8When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
10At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.
11An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
12When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear.
13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
14There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother's womb.
16He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people."
19The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.
20Now listen. You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary.
22When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was making signs to them and remained speechless.
23When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.
24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said,
25"The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people."
26In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28And the angel came to her and said, "Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you."
29But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.
30Then the angel told her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32He 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.
33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end."
35The angel replied to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36And consider your relative Elizabeth--even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless.
37For nothing will be impossible with God."
39In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah
40where she entered Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed!
43How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me.
45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her! "
46And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.
50His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.
51He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts;
52he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.
53He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy
55to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.
57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
58Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her his great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.
60But his mother responded, "No. He will be called John."
61Then they said to her, "None of your relatives has that name."
62So they motioned to his father to find out what he wanted him to be called.
63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they were all amazed.
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
65Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea.
66All who heard about him took it to heart, saying, "What then will this child become? " For, indeed, the Lord's hand was with him.
68Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people.
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times;
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us.
72He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant --
73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant that we,
New Living Translation
Chapter 1
1Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. 2They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. 3Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, 4so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.
6Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.
7They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
8One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week.
9As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
10While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
11While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.
12Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.
13But the angel said, 'Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.
14You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
16And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.
17He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.'
19Then the angel said, 'I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!
20But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.'
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.
22When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
23When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.
24Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.
25How kind the Lord is!' she exclaimed. 'He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.'
26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,
27to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
28Gabriel appeared to her and said, 'Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! '
29Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
30Don’t be afraid, Mary,' the angel told her, 'for you have found favor with God!
31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
33And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!'
35The angel replied, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
36What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.
37For the word of God will never fail. '
39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town
40where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.
41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, 'God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.
43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
45You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.'
46Mary responded, 'Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
50He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
51His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.
55For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.'
57When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.
58And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.
59When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father.
60But Elizabeth said, 'No! His name is John!'
61What?' they exclaimed. 'There is no one in all your family by that name.'
62So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him.
63He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, 'His name is John.'
64Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.
65Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.
66Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, 'What will this child turn out to be?' For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
68'Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David,
70just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.
71Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.
72He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant —
73the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.
English Standard Version
Chapter 1
1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,
17and he will 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 for the Lord a people prepared.”
18And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
19And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand 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 that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.
22And 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.
23And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,
25“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”
26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”
29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.
30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
32He 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,
33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
35And the angel answered 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.
36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37For nothing will be impossible with God.”
38And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,
40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,
42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;
53he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,
60but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.”
61And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”
62And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.
63And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
64And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,
66and 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.
68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people
69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
72to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
New International Version
Chapter 1
1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commands and decrees blamelessly.
7But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
13But the angel said to him: 'Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
16He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'
19The angel said to him, 'I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.'
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
25The Lord has done this for me,' she said. 'In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.'
26In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.'
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30But the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
33and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.'
35The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
37For no word from God will ever fail.'
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42In a loud voice she exclaimed: 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!'
46And Mary said: 'My soul glorifies the Lord
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name.
50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.'
57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
60but his mother spoke up and said, 'No! He is to be called John.'
62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, 'His name is John.'
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.
65All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, 'What then is this child going to be?' For the Lord's hand was with him.
68Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us--
72to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,
73the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
New King James Version
Chapter 1
1Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, 2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 3it 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, 4that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
5There 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.
6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13But 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.
14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15For 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.
16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17He 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.”
19And 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.
20But 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.”
21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple.
22But 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.
23So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.
24Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she 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.”
26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”
29But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was.
30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32He 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.
33And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
35And 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.
36Now 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.
37For with God nothing will be impossible.”
39Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
46And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,
47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.
50And 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 the lowly.
53He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.
54He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,
55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.”
57Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
58When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
59So 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.
60His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”
61But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
62So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
63And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled.
64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
65Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66And 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.
68“Blessed is 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, Who have been since the world began,
71That 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:
