Luke 1
1
Luke Writes About Jesus’ Life
1To Theophilus:
Many have tried to give a history of 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. 3I myself studied everything carefully from the beginning, your Excellency.# This word was used to show respect to an important person like a king or ruler. I thought I should write it out for you. So I put it in order in a book. 4I write these things so that you can know that what you have been taught is true.
Zechariah and Elizabeth
5During the time Herod ruled Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. He belonged to Abijah’s group.# The Jewish priests were divided into 24 groups. See 1 Chronicles 24. Zechariah’s wife came from the family of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. 6Zechariah and Elizabeth truly did what God said was good. They did everything the Lord commanded and told people to do. They were without fault in keeping his law. 7But Zechariah and Elizabeth had no children. Elizabeth could not have a baby; and both of them were very old.
8Zechariah was serving as a priest before God for his group. It was his group’s time to serve. 9According to the custom of the priests, he was chosen 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, on the right side of the incense table, an angel of the Lord came and stood before Zechariah. 12When he saw the angel, Zechariah was confused and frightened. 13But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, don’t be afraid. Your prayer has been heard by God. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son. You will name him John. 14You will be very happy. 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. Even at the time John is born, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16He will help many people of Israel return to the Lord their God. 17He himself will go first before the Lord. John will be powerful in spirit like Elijah. He will make peace between fathers and their children. He will bring those who are not obeying God back to the right way of thinking. He will make 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. God sent me to talk to you and to tell you this good news. 20Now, listen! You will not be able to talk until the day these things happen. You will lose your speech because you did not believe what I told you. But these things will really happen.”
21Outside, the people were still waiting for Zechariah. They were surprised that he was staying so long in the Temple. 22Then Zechariah came outside, but he could not speak to them. So they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple. Zechariah could not speak. He could only make signs to them. 23When his time of service as a priest was finished, he went home.
24Later, Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant. She 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# The Jews thought it was a disgrace for women not to have children. of me, but now the Lord has taken away that shame.”
The Virgin Mary
26-27During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a virgin who lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. 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 confused by what the angel said. Mary wondered, “What does this mean?”
30The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, because God is pleased with you. 31Listen! You will become pregnant. You will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be great, and people will call him 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. His kingdom will never end.”
34Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen? 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. The baby will be holy. He will be called the Son of God. 36Now listen! Elizabeth, your relative, is very old. But she is also pregnant with a son. Everyone thought she could not have a baby, but she has been pregnant for six months. 37God can do everything!”
38Mary said, “I am the servant girl of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!” Then the angel went away.
Mary’s Visit
39Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the mountains of Judea. 40She went to Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby inside Elizabeth jumped. Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42She cried out in a loud voice, “God has blessed you more than any other woman. And God has blessed the baby which you will give birth to. 43You are the mother of my Lord, and you have come to me! Why has something so good happened to me? 44When I heard your voice, the baby inside me jumped with joy. 45You are blessed because you believed what the Lord said to you would really happen.”
Mary Praises God
46Then Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord;
47my heart is happy because God is my Savior.
48I am not important, but God has shown his care for me, his 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 always give mercy
to those who worship him.
51God’s arm is strong.
He scatters the people who are proud
and think great things about themselves.
52God brings down rulers from their thrones,
and he raises up the humble.
53God fills the hungry with good things,
but he sends the rich away with nothing.
54God has helped his people Israel who serve him.
He gave them his mercy.
55God has done what 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.
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, “What would you like to name him?”
63Zechariah asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was surprised. 64Then Zechariah could talk again. He began to praise God. 65And all their neighbors became alarmed. In all the mountains of Judea people continued talking about all these things. 66The people who heard about these things wondered about them. They thought, “What will this child be?” They said this because the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises God
67Then Zechariah, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He told the people what would happen:
68“Let us thank the Lord, the God of Israel.
God has come to help his people and has given them freedom.
69God has given us a powerful Savior
from the family of God’s servant David.
70God said that he would do this.
He said it through his holy prophets who lived long ago.
71God will save us from our enemies
and from the power of all those who hate us.
72God said he would give mercy to our ancestors.
And he remembered his holy promise.
73God promised Abraham, our father,
74that he would free us from the power of our enemies,
so that we could serve him without fear.
75We will be righteous and holy before God as long as we live.
76“Now you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go first before the Lord
to prepare the people for his coming.
77You will make his people know that they will be saved.
They will be saved by having their sins forgiven.
78With the loving mercy of our God,
a new day from heaven will shine upon us.
79God will help those who live in darkness,
in the fear of death.
He will guide us into the path that goes toward peace.”
80And so the child grew up and became strong in spirit. John lived away from other people until the time when he came out to preach to Israel.
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Luke 1: ICB
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Copyright © 2015 by Tommy Nelson™, a Division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
Luke 1
1
1 Since, indeed, many have attempted to set in order a narrative of the things that have been completed among us,
2 just as they have been handed on to those of us who from the beginning saw the same and were ministers of the word,
3 so it seemed good to me also, having diligently followed everything from the beginning, to write to you, in an orderly manner, most excellent Theophilus,
4 so that you might know the truthfulness of those words by which you have been instructed.
5 There was, in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the section of Abijah, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 Now they were both just before God, progressing in all of the commandments and the justifications of the Lord without blame.
7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both had become advanced in years.
8 Then it happened that, when he was exercising the priesthood before God, in the order of his section,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, the lot fell so that he would offer incense, entering into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the entire multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of incense.
11 Then there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord, standing at the right of the altar of incense.
12 And upon seeing him, Zechariah was disturbed, and fear fell over him.
13 But the Angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you. And you shall call his name John.
14 And there will be joy and exultation for you, and many will rejoice in his nativity.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.
16 And he will convert many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before him with the spirit and power of Elijah, so that he may turn the hearts of the fathers to the sons, and the incredulous to the prudence of the just, so as to prepare for the Lord a completed people."
18 And Zechariah said to the Angel: "How may I know this? For I am elderly, and my wife is advanced in years."
19 And in response, the Angel said to him: "I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I have been sent to speak to you, and to proclaim these things to you.
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak, until the day on which these things shall be, because you have not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their time."
21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah. And they wondered why he was being delayed in the temple.
22 Then, when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, but he remained mute.
23 And it happened that, after the days of his office were completed, he went away to his house.
24 Then, after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself for five months, saying:
25 "For the Lord did this for me, at the time when he decided to take away my reproach among men."
26 Then, in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God, to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.
28 And upon entering, the Angel said to her: "Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women."
29 And when she had heard this, she was disturbed by his words, and she considered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 And the Angel said to her: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God.
31 Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name: JESUS.
32 He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. And he will reign in the house of Jacob for eternity.
33 And his kingdom shall have no end."
34 Then Mary said to the Angel, "How shall this be done, since I do not know man?"
35 And in response, the Angel said to her: "The Holy Spirit will pass over you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And because of this also, the Holy One who will be born of you shall be called the Son of God.
36 And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has herself also conceived a son, in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren.
37 For no word will be impossible with God."
38 Then Mary said: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word." And the Angel departed from her.
39 And in those days, Mary, rising up, traveled quickly into the hill country, to a city of Judah.
40 And she entered into the house of Zechariah, and she greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it happened that, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
43 And how does this concern me, so that the mother of my Lord would come to me?
44 For behold, as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
45 And blessed are you who believed, for the things that were spoken to you by the Lord shall be accomplished."
46 And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Saviour.
48 For he has looked with favor on the humility of his handmaid. For behold, from this time, all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he who is great has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is from generation to generations for those who fear him.
51 He has accomplished powerful deeds with his arm. He has scattered the arrogant in the intentions of their heart.
52 He has deposed the powerful from their seat, and he has exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.
54 He has taken up his servant Israel, mindful of his mercy,
55 just as he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his offspring forever."
56 Then Mary stayed with her for about three months. And she returned to her own house.
57 Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth arrived, and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and so they congratulated her.
59 And it happened that, on the eighth day, they arrived to circumcise the boy, and they called him by his father's name, Zechariah.
60 And in response, his mother said: "Not so. Instead, he shall be called John."
61 And they said to her, "But there is no one among your relatives who is called by that name."
62 Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him to be called.
63 And requesting a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: "His name is John." And they all wondered.
64 Then, at once, his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosened, and he spoke, blessing God.
65 And fear fell upon all of their neighbors. And all these words were made known throughout all the hill country of Judea.
66 And all those who heard it stored it up in their heart, saying: "What do you think this boy will be?" And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. And he prophesied, saying:
68 "Blessed is the Lord God of Israel. For he has visited and has wrought the redemption of his people.
69 And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant,
70 just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets, who are from ages past:
71 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all those who hate us,
72 to accomplish mercy with our fathers, and to call to mind his holy testament,
73 the oath, which he swore to Abraham, our father, that he would grant to us,
74 so that, having been freed from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and in justice before him, throughout all our days.
76 And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the face of the Lord: to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people for the remission of their sins,
78 through the heart of the mercy of our God, by which, descending from on high, he has visited us,
79 to illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to direct our feet in the way of peace."
80 And the child grew, and he was strengthened in spirit. And he was in the wilderness, until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
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