Luke 1
1
1Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 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; 4that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
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. 6They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division 9according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 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. 16He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’#Malachi 4:6 and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
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.”
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. 20Behold,#1:20 “Behold”, from “ἰδοὺ”, means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection. 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.”
21The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 23When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 24After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”
26Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
29But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall 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 his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”
34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
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. 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. 37For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”#1:37 or, “For everything spoken by God is possible.”
38Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.”
Then the angel departed from her.
39Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
46Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord.
47My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48for he has looked at the humble state of his servant.
For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
50His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
51He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52He has put down princes from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
53He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.
54He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his offspring#1:55 or, seed forever.”
56Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
57Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.”
They all marveled. 64His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 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.
67His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people;
69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
72to show mercy toward our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant,
73the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
74to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
should serve him without fear,
75in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
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,
77to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
79to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death;
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
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Luke 1
1
A Doctor Charts the Facts
1Now many have undertaken to organize an account of the events fulfilled among us,
2just as they were handed down to us from the start by the eyewitnesses and reporters of the word.
3Therefore it seemed best to me also, because I have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, to write for you an orderly record, most excellent Theophilus,
4so you may know for sure the truth of the words you have been taught.
Prophecy of Birth to the Barren
5In the days of Herod, King of Judah, there was a kohen named Zechariah from the priestly division of Abijah. Elizabeth, his wife, was from the daughters of Aaron.
6Together they were righteous before Adonai, walking without fault in all His commandments and instructions.
7But they were childless, because Elizabeth was barren and both of them were elderly.
8Now it happened to be Zechariah’s time to serve as kohen before Adonai in the order of his division.
9According to the custom of the priestly office, it became his lot to enter the Holy Place of Adonai to burn incense.
10And the whole crowd of people was praying outside at the hour of incense burning.
11An angel of Adonai appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12Zechariah was in turmoil when he saw the angel, and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to your son, and you will name him John.
14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15He will be great before Adonai; and he should not drink wine and intoxicating beverage, but he will be filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh just out of his mother’s womb.
16Many of Bnei-Yisrael will turn to Adonai their God.
17And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to the children and the disobedient ones to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a prepared people.
18Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? I’m an old man, and my wife is well-advanced in age.”
19And speaking to him, the angel declared, “I am Gabriel, the one standing in God’s presence. I was commissioned to tell you and proclaim to you this good news.
20So look, you will be silent and powerless to speak until the day these things happen, since you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their time.”
21The people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering about his long delay in the Holy Place.
22But when he came out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the Holy Place. He was making signs to them but remained mute.
23When the days of his priestly service had been completed, he went home.
24After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and hid herself for five months, saying,
25“Adonai has done this for me! In these days He looked upon me, to take away my disgrace among the people.”
Prophecy of Birth to the Virgin
26Then in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by Adonai into a town in the Galilee named Natzeret
27and to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Miriam.
28And coming to her, the angel said, “Shalom, favored one! Adonai is with you.”
29But at the message, she was perplexed and kept wondering what kind of greeting this might be.
30The angel spoke to her, “Do not be afraid, Miriam, for you have found favor with God.
31Behold, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you shall call His name Yeshua.
32He will be great and will be called Ben-Elyon. Adonai Elohim will give Him the throne of David, His father.
33He shall reign over the house of Jacob for all eternity, and His kingdom will be without end.”
34Miriam said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am not intimate with a man?”
35And responding, the angel said to her, “The Ruach ha-Kodesh will come upon you, and the power of Elyon will overshadow you. Therefore, the Holy One being born will be called Ben-Elohim.
36Behold, even your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son in her old age; and the one who was called barren is six months pregnant.
37For nothing will be impossible with God.”
38So Miriam said, “Behold, the servant of Adonai. Let it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.
Elizabeth Greets Miriam with Joy
39Now in those days, Miriam got up and quickly traveled into the hill country, to a town in Judah.
40She entered Zechariah’s home and happily greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Miriam’s greeting, the unborn child leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was completely filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh.
42She then cried out with a great shout, saying, “You are blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
43Who am I, that the mother of my Master should come to me?
44For even when I just heard the sound of your greeting in my ear, the unborn child leaped with joy in my womb.
45Blessed is she who trusted that there would be a fulfillment of those things spoken to her by Adonai.”
46Then Miriam said, “My soul magnifies Adonai,
47and my spirit greatly rejoices in God, my Savior.
48For He has looked with care upon the humble state of His maidservant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49For the Mighty One has done a great thing for me, and holy is His name.
50And His mercy is from generation to generation to the ones who fear Him.
51He has displayed power with His arm. He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down rulers from thrones and exalted humble ones.
53He has filled the hungry with good things and sent away the rich empty-handed.
54He has helped His servant Israel, remembering His mercy,
55just as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever.”
Zechariah Breaks His Silence
56Miriam stayed with her for three months and then returned to her home.
57Upon Elizabeth’s full term to deliver, she gave birth to a son.
58Her neighbors and relatives heard how Adonai had shown her His great mercy, and they began to rejoice with her.
59Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they kept trying to call him by his father’s name, Zechariah.
60But his mother declared, “No, he will be called John.”
61But they said to her, “No one among your relatives is called by this name.”
62So they began making signs to his father, as to what he wanted him named.
63Asking for a small tablet, he wrote, “John is his name.” They were all astonished!
64And his mouth was immediately unlocked as well as his tongue, and he began to speak, praising God.
65Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these matters were talked about throughout the hill country of Judah.
66Everyone who heard pondered these things in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child become?” For the hand of Adonai was on him.
The Kohen’s Song of Prophecy
67His father Zechariah was filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and prophesied, saying,
68“Blessed be Adonai, God of Israel, for He has looked after His people and brought them redemption.
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ages past,
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us!
72So He shows mercy to our fathers and remembers His holy covenant,
73the vow which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us—
74rescued fearlessly from the hand of our enemies—to serve Him,
75in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76And you, child, will be called a prophet of Elyon. For you will go before Adonai to prepare His ways,
77to give knowledge of salvation to His people through removal of their sins.
78Through our God’s heart of mercy, the Sunrise from on high will come upon us,
79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet in the way of shalom.”
80And the child kept growing and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
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