Luke 1

The Dedication to Theophilus

1Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled ^aamong us, ^b2just as the original eyewitnesses ^cand servants of the word ^dhanded them down to us. ³It 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 ^eTheophilus, ^f4so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed. ^gh

Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth

⁵In the days of King Herod ⁱof Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division ^jknamed Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶Both were righteous in God’s sight, ^lliving without blame ^maccording to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. ⁷But they had no children ⁿbecause Elizabeth could not conceive, ^oand both of them were well along in years. ^pq

⁸When his division was on duty ^rand he was serving as priest before God, ⁹it happened that he was chosen by lot, ^saccording to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. ^t10At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. ¹¹An angel of the Lord ^uappeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. ^v12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear. ^wx13But the angel said to him:

Do not be afraid, ^yZechariah,

because your prayer has been heard. ^z

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you will name him John. ^a

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. ^b

He will be filled with the Holy Spirit ^c

while still in his mother’s womb. ^d

¹⁶He will turn many of the sons of Israel

to the Lord their God. ^e

¹⁷And he will go before Him

in the spirit and power of Elijah,

to turn the hearts of fathers

to their children, ^f

and the disobedient

to the understanding of the righteous,

to make ready for the Lord a prepared people. ^g

¹⁸“How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” ^h

¹⁹The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, ⁱwho stands in the presence of God, ^jand 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 kept making signs to them ^kand 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 ^lamong the people.”

Gabriel Predicts Jesus’ Birth

²⁶In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel ^mwas sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ⁿ²⁷to a virgin engaged ^oto a man named Joseph, of the house of David. ^pThe virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And the angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” ^q29But she was deeply troubled ^rby this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. ³⁰Then the angel told her:

Do not be afraid, Mary, ^s

for you have found favor with God. ^t

³¹Now listen:

You will conceive and give birth to a son,

and you will call His name Jesus. ^u

³²He will be great

and will be called the Son of the Most High, ^v

and the Lord God will give Him

the throne of His father David. ^w

³³He will reign over the house of Jacob ^xforever,

and His kingdom will have no end. ^y

³⁴Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?” ^z

³⁵The angel replied to her:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, ^a

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore, the holy One to be born

will be called the Son of God. ^b

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.” ^c

³⁸“I am the Lord’s slave,” ^dsaid Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth

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, ^eand Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ^f42Then she exclaimed with a loud cry:

“You are the most blessed of women,

and your child will be blessed! ^g

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! ^h45She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!”

Mary’s Praise

⁴⁶And Mary said:

My soul proclaims the greatness of ⁱthe Lord, ^j

⁴⁷and my spirit has rejoiced ^kin God my Savior, ^l

⁴⁸because He has looked with favor

on the humble condition of His slave.

Surely, from now on all generations

will call me blessed, ^m

⁴⁹because the Mighty One ⁿ

has done great things for me, ^o

and His name ^pis holy.

⁵⁰His mercy is from generation to generation ^q

on those who fear Him.

⁵¹He has done a mighty deed with His arm; ^r

He has scattered the proud

because of the thoughts of their hearts; ^s

⁵²He has toppled the mighty from their thrones

and exalted the lowly. ^t

⁵³He has satisfied the hungry with good things ^u

and sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴He has helped His servant Israel,

mindful of His mercy, ^v

⁵⁵just as He spoke to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his descendants ^wforever. ^x

⁵⁶And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.

The Birth and Naming of John

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, ^yzand they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, ^athey were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. ⁶⁰But his mother responded, “No! He will be called John.” ^b

⁶¹Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” ⁶²So they motioned to his father ^cto 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 ^dand 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 ^etook it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

⁶⁷Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit ^fand prophesied: ^g

⁶⁸Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, ^h

because He has visited

and provided redemption for His people. ⁱ

⁶⁹He has raised up a horn of salvation ^jfor us ^k

in the house of His servant David, ^l

⁷⁰just as He spoke by the mouth

of His holy prophets in ancient times; ^m

⁷¹salvation from our enemies

and from the clutches ⁿof those who hate us.

⁷²He has dealt mercifully with our fathers ^o

and remembered His holy covenant ^p—

⁷³the oath that He swore to our father Abraham. ^q

He has given us the privilege,

⁷⁴since we have been rescued

from our enemies’ clutches, ^r

to serve Him without fear

⁷⁵in holiness and righteousness

in His presence all our days.

⁷⁶And child, you will be called

a prophet of the Most High, ^s

for you will go before the Lord

to prepare His ways, ^t

⁷⁷to give His people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins. ^u

⁷⁸Because of our God’s merciful compassion,

the Dawn from on high ^vwill visit us

⁷⁹to shine on those who live in darkness

and the shadow of death, ^w

to guide our feet into the way of peace.

⁸⁰The child grew up and became spiritually strong, ^xand he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.