Luke 1
1
Luke Writes About Jesus’ Life
1Many have tried to report on the things that happened among us. 2They have written the same things that we learned from others—the people who saw those things from the beginning and served God by telling people his message. 3Since I myself have studied everything carefully from the beginning, most excellent Theophilus, it seemed good for me to write it out for you. I arranged it in order, 4to help you know that what you have been taught is true.
Zechariah and Elizabeth
5During the time Herod ruled Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah who belonged to Abijah’s group. Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, came from the family of Aaron. 6Zechariah and Elizabeth truly did what God said was good. They did everything the Lord commanded and were without fault in keeping his law. 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth could not have a baby, and both of them were very old.
8One day Zechariah was serving as a priest before God, because his group was on duty. 9According to the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10There were a great many people outside praying at the time the incense was offered. 11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing on the right side of the incense table. 12When he saw the angel, Zechariah was startled and frightened. 13But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, don’t be afraid. God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son, and you will name him John. 14He will bring you joy and gladness, and many people will be happy because of his birth. 15John will be a great man for the Lord. He will never drink wine or beer, and even from birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16He will help many people of Israel return to the Lord their God. 17He will go before the Lord in spirit and power like Elijah. He will make peace between parents and their children and will bring those who are not obeying God back to the right way of thinking, to make a people ready for the coming of the Lord.”
18Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that what you say is true? I am an old man, and my wife is old, too.”
19The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand before God, who sent me to talk to you and to tell you this good news. 20Now, listen! You will not be able to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe what I told you. But they will really happen.”
21Outside, the people were still waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he was staying so long in the Temple. 22When Zechariah came outside, he could not speak to them, and they knew he had seen a vision in the Temple. He could only make signs to them and remained unable to speak. 23When his time of service at the Temple was finished, he went home.
24Later, Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and did not go out of her house for five months. Elizabeth said, 25“Look what the Lord has done for me! My people were ashamed of me, but now the Lord has taken away that shame.”
An Angel Appears to Mary
26During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. 28The angel came to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you.”
29But Mary was very startled by what the angel said and wondered what this greeting might mean.
30The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has shown you his grace. 31Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. 33He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I am a virgin?”
35The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. For this reason the baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God. 36Now Elizabeth, your relative, is also pregnant with a son though she is very old. Everyone thought she could not have a baby, but she has been pregnant for six months. 37God can do anything!”
38Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!” Then the angel went away.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hills of Judea. 40She came to Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby inside her jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42She cried out in a loud voice, “God has blessed you more than any other woman, and he has blessed the baby to which you will give birth. 43Why has this good thing happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44When I heard your voice, the baby inside me jumped with joy. 45You are blessed because you believed that what the Lord said to you would really happen.”
Mary Praises God
46Then Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord;
47my heart rejoices in God my Savior,
48because he has shown his concern for his humble servant girl.
From now on, all people will say that I am blessed,
49because the Powerful One has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50God will show his mercy forever and ever
to those who worship and serve him.
51He has done mighty deeds by his power.
He has scattered the people who are proud
and think great things about themselves.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones
and raised up the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with nothing.
54He has helped his servant, the people of Israel,
remembering to show them mercy
55as he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his children forever.”
56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The Birth of John
57When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth, she had a boy. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard how good the Lord was to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59When the baby was eight days old, they came to circumcise him. They wanted to name him Zechariah because this was his father’s name, 60but his mother said, “No! He will be named John.”
61The people said to Elizabeth, “But no one in your family has this name.” 62Then they made signs to his father to find out what he would like to name him.
63Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John,” and everyone was surprised. 64Immediately Zechariah could talk again, and he began praising God. 65All their neighbors became alarmed, and in all the mountains of Judea people continued talking about all these things. 66The people who heard about them wondered, saying, “What will this child be?” because the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises God
67Then Zechariah, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68“Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has come to help his people and has given them freedom.
69He has given us a powerful Savior
from the family of God’s servant David.
70He said that he would do this
through his holy prophets who lived long ago:
71He promised he would save us from our enemies
and from the power of all those who hate us.
72He said he would give mercy to our ancestors
and that he would remember his holy promise.
73God promised Abraham, our father,
74that he would save us from the power of our enemies
so we could serve him without fear,
75being holy and good before God as long as we live.
76“Now you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go before the Lord to prepare his way.
77You will make his people know that they will be saved
by having their sins forgiven.
78With the loving mercy of our God,
a new day from heaven will dawn upon us.
79It will shine on those who live in darkness,
in the shadow of death.
It will guide us into the path of peace.”
80And so the child grew up and became strong in spirit. John lived in the desert until the time when he came out to preach to Israel.
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Luke 1: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
St Luke 1
1
1FORASMUCH as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us;
2According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word:
3It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.
5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
6And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame.
7And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God,
9According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord.
10And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense.
11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the alter of incense.
12And Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John:
14And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice in his nativity.
15For he shall be great before the Lord; and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias; that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people.
18And Zachary said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.
19And the angel answering, said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God: and am sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee these good tidings.
20And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time.
21And the people were waiting for Zachary; and they wondered that he tarried so long in the temple.
22And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he made signs to them, and remained dumb.
23And it came to pass, after the days of his office were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24And after those days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying:
25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he hath had regard to take away my reproach among men.
26And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,
27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
29Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.
30And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.
31Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.
33And of his kingdom there shall be no end.
34And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?
35And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
36And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren:
37Because no word shall be impossible with God.
38And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.
40And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.
41And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
45And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.
46And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.
47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
50And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
51He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
52He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:
55As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
56And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house.
57Now Elizabeth's full time of being delivered was come, and she brought forth a son.
58And her neighbours and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her, and they congratulated with her.
59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by his father's name Zachary.
60And his mother answering, said: Not so; but he shall be called John.
61And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
63And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.
64And immediately his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.
65And fear came upon all their neighbours; and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea.
66And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost; and he prophesied, saying:
68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people:
69And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant:
70As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning:
71Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us:
72To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament,
73The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us,
74That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear,
75In holiness and justice before him, all our days.
76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:
77To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins:
78Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:
79To enlighten them that sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.
80And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit; and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.