1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order aa declaration of those things which are bmost surely believed among us, 2 Even as cthey delivered them unto us, which dfrom the beginning were eeyewitnesses, and fministers of gthe word; 3 hIt seemed good to me also, ihaving had perfect understanding of all things kfrom the very first, to write unto thee lin order, mmost excellent nTheophilus, 4 oThat thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast pbeen instructed.

5 *There was qin the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, rof the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both srighteous before God, twalking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord ublameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was xbarren, and ythey both were now zwell stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God ain the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was bto burn incense when he went into cthe temple of the Lord. 10 And dthe whole multitude of the people were epraying dwithout at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him eean angel of the Lord standing on the right side of fthe altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, ghe was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and hthou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall irejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and jshall drink kneither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled kwith the Holy Ghost, even lfrom his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 mAnd he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to nturn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient ||to the wisdom of the just; oto make ready a people pprepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, qWhereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife rwell stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am sGabriel, tthat stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, uthou 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. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in cthe temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in cthe temple: for xhe beckoned unto them, and remained xspeechless. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as ythe days of his zministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and ahid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he blooked on me, to ctake away my reproach among men.

26 And in dthe sixth month the angel eGabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named fNazareth, 27 To a virgin gespoused to a man whose name was Joseph, hof the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, ithou that art ||highly favoured, lthe Lord is with thee: mblessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, nshe was troubled at his saying, and nncast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast ofound favour with God. 31 And, behold, pthou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and qshalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of rthe Highest: and the Lord God shall sgive unto him tthe throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob ufor ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, xThe Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of rthe Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also ythat holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called zthe Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy acousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called bbarren. 37 For cwith God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; dbe it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into ethe hill country fwith haste, into ea city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth gwas filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, hBlessed art thou iamong women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And jwhence is this to me, that the mother of jjmy Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And kblessed is she ||that believed: kkfor there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

46  And Mary said,

lMy soul doth mmagnify the Lord,

47  And nmy spirit hath rejoiced in oGod my Saviour.

48  For phe hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:

For, behold, from henceforth qall generations shall rcall me blessed.

49  For he that is mighty shath done to me tgreat things;

And uholy is his name.

50  And xhis mercy is on them that fear him

From generation to generation.

51  yHe hath shewed strength with his arm;

zHe hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52  aHe hath put down bthe mighty from their seats,

And exalted them of low degree.

53  cHe hath filled the hungry with good things;

And the rich he hath dsent empty away.

54  He hath eholpen his servant Israel,

fIn remembrance of his mercy;

55  gAs he spake to our fathers,

To Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

57 Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58 And hher neighbours and her icousins heard how the Lord had kshewed great mercy upon her; and lthey rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass, that mon the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and nthey called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but ohe shall be called John. 61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62 And they pmade signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, qHis name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 rAnd his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue sloosed, and he spake, and tpraised God. 65 And ufear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these ||sayings were noised abroad throughout all vthe hill country of Judaea. 66 And all they that heard them wlaid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And xthe hand of the Lord was with him. 67 And his father Zacharias ywas filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

68  zBlessed be the Lord aGod of Israel;

For he hath bvisited and credeemed his people,

69  And hath raised up dan horn of salvation for us

In the house of his servant David;

70  eAs he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets,

Which have been fsince the world began:

71  That we should be saved from our enemies,

And from the hand of all that hate us;

72  gTo perform the mercy promised to our fathers,

And hto remember his holy covenant;

73  iThe oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74  That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies

Might kserve him without fear,

75  lIn holiness and righteousness before him,

mAll the days of our life.

76  And thou, child, shalt be called nthe prophet of othe Highest:

For pthou shalt go before the face of the Lord

pTo prepare his ways;

77  To give ppknowledge of salvation unto his people

||By the remission of their sins,

78  Through the ||tender mercy of our God;

Whereby the ||dayspring from on high hath bvisited us,

79  qTo give light to them rthat sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

To guide our feet into the way of speace.

80 And tthe child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was uin the deserts till the day of his xshewing unto Israel.