Luke 1:1–17

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us,

²According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word:

³It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

⁴That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.

⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.

⁶And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame.

⁷And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren: and they both were well advanced in years.

⁸And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God,

⁹According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord.

¹⁰And all the multitude of the people was praying without, 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 Zachary seeing him, was troubled: and fear fell upon him.

¹³But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt call his name John.

¹⁴And thou shalt have joy and gladness: and many shall rejoice in his nativity.

¹⁵For he shall be great before the Lord and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

¹⁶And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

¹⁷And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias: that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people.