Luke 1
1
The Dedication to Theophilus
1Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled#1:1 Or events that have been accomplished, or events most surely believed among us,#Rm 4:21; 14:5; Col 2:2; 4:12; 1Th 1:5; 2Tm 4:17; Heb 6:11; 10:22 2just as the original eyewitnesses#Jn 15:27; Ac 1:21; 2Pt 1:16; 1Jn 1:1 and servants of the word#Ac 26:16; 1Co 4:1; Heb 2:3 handed them down to us. 3So it also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable#Ac 23:26; 24:3; 26:25 Theophilus,#Ac 1:1 4so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.#1:4 Or informed#Ac 18:25; Rm 2:18; 1Co 14:19; Gl 6:6
Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth
5In the days of King Herod#Mt 2:1 of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division#1Ch 24:10 named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6Both were righteous in God’s sight,#Gn 7:1; Ac 2:25; 8:21 living without blame#Php 2:15; 3:6; 1Th 3:13 according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. 7But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.#Gn 4:1; 18:11; Jdg 13:2–3; 1Sm 1:2; 2:20; Ps 113:9; 127:3–5; Heb 11:11–12
8When his division was on duty#1Ch 24:19; 2Ch 8:14; 31:2 and he was serving as priest before God, 9it happened that he was chosen by lot,#Jos 18:6,8,10; 1Ch 24:31; 25:8; 26:13–14; Neh 10:34; 11:1; Ac 1:26 according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.#Ex 30:7–8 10At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11An angel of the Lord#Mt 2:13–14; 28:2; Lk 2:9; Ac 5:19; 8:26; 12:7 appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.#Mk 16:5; Ac 2:33 12When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and overcome with fear.#Gn 21:17; Jdg 6:22–23; 2Kg 1:15; Mt 1:20; 28:5; Lk 2:10; Ac 10:3–4; 27:23–24 13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid,#Gn 15:1; Mt 14:27; Lk 1:30 Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.#Gn 25:21; 1Kg 8:45,49; 2Kg 20:5; Ps 6:9; Is 38:5 Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.#Gn 16:11; 17:15,19; Is 8:3; Hs 1:4,9; Mt 1:20,23; Lk 1:60,63 14There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer.#Nm 6:3; Jdg 13:3–5; Mt 11:18; Lk 7:33 He will be filled with the Holy Spirit#Ex 28:3; 31:3; 35:31; Dt 34:9; Mc 3:8; Lk 1:41,67; Ac 2:4; 4:8,31; 7:55; 9:17; 13:9; 13:52; Eph 5:18 while still in his mother’s womb.#Is 44:2; Lk 1:41,44 16He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.#Ps 22:27; Lm 3:40 17And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children,#Mal 4:5–6; Mt 11:14; 17:10–12 and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.”#Is 40:3; Lk 1:76; 3:4
18“How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel,#Dn 8:16; 9:21; Lk 1:26 who stands in the presence of God,#Mt 18:10 and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20Now listen. You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was making signs to them#Lk 1:62 and remained speechless. 23When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.
24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25“The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace#Gn 30:23; Is 4:1; 25:8 among the people.”
Gabriel Predicts Jesus’s Birth
26In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel#Lk 1:19 was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,#Mt 2:23 27to a virgin engaged#1:27 Lit betrothed#Dt 21:23; Is 7:14; Mt 1:18,23 to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.#Mt 1:20; Lk 2:4 The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”#1:28 Other mss add Blessed are you among women. 29But she was deeply troubled#Lk 1:12 by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,#Mt 14:27; Lk 1:13 for you have found favor with God.#Gn 6:8; Ex 33:12–17; Jr 31:2 31Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.#Is 7:14; Mt 1:21,25; Lk 2:21 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High,#Lk 1:35,76; 3:38; 6:35; 8:28; 9:35; Jn 1:34,49; 11:27; Ac 7:48 and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.#2Sm 7:12–13; 1Kg 2:12; Ps 132:11; Is 9:7; Jr 33:17; Mk 11:10 33He will reign over the house of Jacob#Ex 19:3; Ps 114:1; Is 14:1; 29:22; 46:3 forever, and his kingdom will have no end.” #Is 9:6 LXX; Dn 7:14
34Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” #1:34 Lit since I do not know a man
35The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,#Mt 1:18 and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.#Mt 14:33; Lk 4:3,9,41; 22:70 36And consider your relative Elizabeth — even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.”#Gn 18:14; Lk 18:27
38“See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth
39In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah 40where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.#Lk 1:67; Ac 2:4; 4:8; 9:17; 13:9 42Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed!#1:42 Lit and the fruit of your abdomen (or womb) is blessed 43How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”
Mary’s Praise
46And Mary said:
My soul magnifies the Lord,#1Sm 2:1–10
47and my spirit rejoices#Ps 35:9; Hab 3:18 in God my Savior,#1Tm 1:1; 2:3; Ti 1:3; 2:10; 3:4; Jd 25
48because he has looked with favor
on the humble condition of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed,#Lk 11:27
49because the Mighty One#Ps 89:8; Zph 3:17
has done great things for me,#Ps 71:19; 126:2–3
and his name#Lv 20:3; 22:2,32; 1Ch 16:10,35; 29:16; Ps 30:4; 99:3; 103:1; 111:9; Is 57:15 is holy.
50His mercy is from generation to generation#Ps 100:5; 103:11,17
on those who fear him.
51He has done a mighty deed with his arm;#Ps 89:10; 98:1; 118:15
he has scattered the proud
because of the thoughts of their hearts;#Lk 2:35; 9:47
52he has toppled the mighty from their thrones
and exalted the lowly.#1Sm 2:7–8
53He has satisfied the hungry with good things#Ps 34:10; 107:9; Lk 6:21,24–25
and sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering his mercy
55to Abraham and his descendants#1:55 Or offspring; lit seed forever,#Gn 17:9,15; 21:12
just as he spoke to our ancestors.
56And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.
The Birth and Naming of John
57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. 58Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her his great mercy,#Gn 19:19 and they rejoiced with her.
59When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day,#Gn 17:12; Lv 12:3; Lk 2:21; Php 3:5 they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60But his mother responded, “No. He will be called John.”#Lk 1:13,63
61Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” 62So they motioned to his father#Lk 1:22 to find out what he wanted him to be called. 63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 64Immediately his mouth was opened#Lk 1:20 and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard about him#Ac 11:21 took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit#Lk 1:41 and prophesied:#Jl 2:28
68Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel,#Ps 41:13
because he has visited
and provided redemption for his people.#Lk 1:71; 2:38; Heb 9:12
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us#1Sm 2:1,10; Ps 18:2; 89:17; 132:17; Ezk 29:21
in the house of his servant David,#2Sm 7:26; Ps 89:3,20; Ezk 34:23–24; 37:24–25
70just as he spoke by the mouth
of his holy prophets in ancient times;#2Kg 21:10; Hs 12:10; Ac 3:21; Rm 1:2; Heb 1:1
71salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of those who hate us.
72He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors#Mc 7:20
and remembered his holy covenant#Ps 105:8–9,42; 106:45 —
73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham,#Gn 22:16–17; Heb 6:13
to grant that we,
74having been rescued
from the hand of our enemies,
would serve him without fear
75in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.
76And you, child, will be called
a prophet of the Most High,#Mt 11:9
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare his ways,#Lk 1:17; Is 40:3; Mal 3:1
77to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins.#Jr 31:34; Mk 1:4
78Because of our God’s merciful compassion,
the dawn from on high#Is 58:8; Jr 23:5; Zch 3:8; 6:12 LXX; Mal 4:2; Lk 24:49; Eph 4:8; 2Pt 1:19 will visit us
79to shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death,#Is 9:2; 60:2–3
to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80The child grew up and became strong in spirit,#1:80 Or strong in the Spirit#Lk 2:40 and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
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Luke 1: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
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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