1 Forasmuch as many have undertaken to draw up a relation concerning the matters fully believed among us, 2 as those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses of and attendants on the Word have delivered them to us, 3 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 that thou mightest know the certainty of those things in which thou hast been instructed.

5  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  And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7  And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. 8  And it came to pass, as he fulfilled his priestly service before God in the order of his course, 9  it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.