1Luke 1

1Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,Select Luke 1:1

2even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,Select Luke 1:2

3it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;Select Luke 1:3

4that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.Select Luke 1:4

5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.Select Luke 1:5

6They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.Select Luke 1:6

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

8Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division,Select Luke 1:8

9according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.Select Luke 1:9

10The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.Select Luke 1:10

11An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.Select Luke 1:11

12Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.Select Luke 1:12

13But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.Select Luke 1:13

14You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.Select Luke 1:14

15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.Select Luke 1:15

16He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.Select Luke 1:16

17He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”Select Luke 1:17

18Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”Select Luke 1:18

19The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.Select Luke 1:19

20Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”Select Luke 1:20

21The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.Select Luke 1:21

22When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.Select Luke 1:22

23When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.Select Luke 1:23

24After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,Select Luke 1:24

25“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”Select Luke 1:25

26Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,Select Luke 1:26

27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.Select Luke 1:27

28Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”Select Luke 1:28

29But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.Select Luke 1:29

30The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.Select Luke 1:30

31Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name ‘Jesus.’Select Luke 1:31

32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David,Select Luke 1:32

33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”Select Luke 1:33

34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”Select Luke 1:34

35The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.Select Luke 1:35

36Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.Select Luke 1:36

37For everything spoken by God is possible.”Select Luke 1:37

38Mary said, “Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word.” The angel departed from her.Select Luke 1:38

39Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,Select Luke 1:39

40and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.Select Luke 1:40

41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.Select Luke 1:41

42She called out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!Select Luke 1:42

43Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?Select Luke 1:43

44For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!Select Luke 1:44

45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”Select Luke 1:45

46Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.Select Luke 1:46

47My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,Select Luke 1:47

48for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.Select Luke 1:48

49For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.Select Luke 1:49

50His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.Select Luke 1:50

51He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.Select Luke 1:51

52He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.Select Luke 1:52

53He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.Select Luke 1:53

54He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,Select Luke 1:54

55As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever.”Select Luke 1:55

56Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.Select Luke 1:56

57Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.Select Luke 1:57

58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.Select Luke 1:58

59On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father.Select Luke 1:59

60His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”Select Luke 1:60

61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”Select Luke 1:61

62They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.Select Luke 1:62

63He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled.Select Luke 1:63

64His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.Select Luke 1:64

65Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.Select Luke 1:65

66All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.Select Luke 1:66

67His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,Select Luke 1:67

68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people;Select Luke 1:68

69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant DavidSelect Luke 1:69

70(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),Select Luke 1:70

71salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;Select Luke 1:71

72to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,Select Luke 1:72

73the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father,Select Luke 1:73

74to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,Select Luke 1:74

75In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.Select Luke 1:75

76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,Select Luke 1:76

77to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,Select Luke 1:77

78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,Select Luke 1:78

79to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”Select Luke 1:79

80The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.Select Luke 1:80