Luke 1:1–17

Introduction

¹Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things ^1aaccomplished among us,

²just as they were handed down to us by those who ^afrom the beginning ¹were ^beyewitnesses and ^2cservants of ^dthe ³word,

³it seemed fitting for me as well, ^ahaving ¹investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you ^bin consecutive order, ^cmost excellent ^dTheophilus;

⁴so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been ^1ataught.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

^5aIn the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named ¹Zacharias, of the ^bdivision of ²Abijah; and he had a wife ³from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

⁶They were both ^arighteous in the sight of God, walking ^bblamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

⁷But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in ¹years.

⁸Now it happened that while ^ahe 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 ^ato enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer ^aoutside at the hour of the incense offering.

¹¹And ^aan angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

¹²Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and ^afear ¹gripped him.

¹³But the angel said to him, “^aDo not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^byou will ¹give him the name John.

¹⁴“You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

¹⁵“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will ^adrink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit ¹while yet in his mother’s womb.

¹⁶“And he will ^aturn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.

¹⁷“It is he who will ^ago as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of ^bElijah, ^cto turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”