1Luke 1

1Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us.Select Luke 1:1

2They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened.Select Luke 1:2

3So I made a careful study of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus,Select Luke 1:3

4I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard.Select Luke 1:4

An Angel Tells about the Birth of John

5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron.Select Luke 1:5

6Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded.Select Luke 1:6

7But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old.Select Luke 1:7

8One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest.Select Luke 1:8

9According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense,Select Luke 1:9

10while the people stood outside praying.Select Luke 1:10

11All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar.Select Luke 1:11

12Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel.Select Luke 1:12

13But the angel told him: Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John.Select Luke 1:13

14His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad.Select Luke 1:14

15Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.Select Luke 1:15

16John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God.Select Luke 1:16

17He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. This is how John will get people ready for the Lord.Select Luke 1:17

18Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.”Select Luke 1:18

19The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, God's servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news.Select Luke 1:19

20You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to.”Select Luke 1:20

21The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying in the temple so long.Select Luke 1:21

22When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing.Select Luke 1:22

23When Zechariah's time of service in the temple was over, he went home.Select Luke 1:23

24Soon after this, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself,Select Luke 1:24

25“What the Lord has done for me will keep people from looking down on me.”Select Luke 1:25

An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus

26One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in GalileeSelect Luke 1:26

27with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David.Select Luke 1:27

28The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”Select Luke 1:28

29Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant.Select Luke 1:29

30Then the angel told Mary, “Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you,Select Luke 1:30

31and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus.Select Luke 1:31

32He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was.Select Luke 1:32

33He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.”Select Luke 1:33

34Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not even married!”Select Luke 1:34

35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God.Select Luke 1:35

36Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son.Select Luke 1:36

37Nothing is impossible for God!”Select Luke 1:37

38Mary said, “I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her.Select Luke 1:38

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea.Select Luke 1:39

40She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth.Select Luke 1:40

41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her. The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth.Select Luke 1:41

42Then in a loud voice she said to Mary: God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have.Select Luke 1:42

43Why should the mother of my Lord come to me?Select Luke 1:43

44As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me.Select Luke 1:44

45The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.Select Luke 1:45

Mary's Song of Praise

46Mary said: With all my heart I praise the Lord,Select Luke 1:46

47and I am glad because of God my Savior.Select Luke 1:47

48God cares for me, his humble servant. From now on, all people will say God has blessed me.Select Luke 1:48

49God All-Powerful has done great things for me, and his name is holy.Select Luke 1:49

50He always shows mercy to everyone who worships him.Select Luke 1:50

51The Lord has used his powerful arm to scatter those who are proud.Select Luke 1:51

52God drags strong rulers from their thrones and puts humble people in places of power.Select Luke 1:52

53God gives the hungry good things to eat, and sends the rich away with nothing.Select Luke 1:53

54God helps his servant Israel and is always merciful to his people.Select Luke 1:54

55The Lord made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his family forever!Select Luke 1:55

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.Select Luke 1:56

The Birth of John the Baptist

57When Elizabeth's son was born,Select Luke 1:57

58her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad.Select Luke 1:58

59Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands. They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.Select Luke 1:59

60But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.”Select Luke 1:60

61The people argued, “No one in your family has ever been named John.”Select Luke 1:61

62So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son.Select Luke 1:62

63Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.Select Luke 1:63

64At once, Zechariah started speaking and praising God.Select Luke 1:64

65All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things.Select Luke 1:65

66Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew the Lord was with him.Select Luke 1:66

Zechariah Praises the Lord

67The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:Select Luke 1:67

68Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to save his people.Select Luke 1:68

69Our God has given us a mighty Savior from the family of David his servant.Select Luke 1:69

70Long ago the Lord promised by the words of his holy prophetsSelect Luke 1:70

71to save us from our enemies and from everyone who hates us.Select Luke 1:71

72God said he would be kind to our people and keep his sacred promise.Select Luke 1:72

73He told our ancestor AbrahamSelect Luke 1:73

74that he would rescue us from our enemies. Then we could serve him without fear,Select Luke 1:74

75by being holy and good as long as we live.Select Luke 1:75

76You, my son, will be called the prophet of God Most High. You will go ahead of the Lord to get everything ready for him.Select Luke 1:76

77You will tell his people that they can be saved when their sins are forgiven.Select Luke 1:77

78God's love and kindness will shine upon us like the sun that rises in the sky.Select Luke 1:78

79On us who live in the dark shadow of death this light will shine to guide us into a life of peace.Select Luke 1:79

80As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel.Select Luke 1:80