Luke 1
1
1Dear Theophilus:
Many people have done their best to write a report of the things that have taken place among us. 2They wrote what we have been told by those who saw these things from the beginning and who proclaimed the message. 3And so, your Excellency, because I have carefully studied all these matters from their beginning, I thought it would be good to write an orderly account for you. 4I do this so that you will know the full truth about everything which you have been taught.
The Birth of John the Baptist is Announced
5 #
1 Chr 24.10
During the time when Herod was king of Judea,#1.5 Judea: The term here refers to the whole land of Palestine. there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife's name was Elizabeth; she also belonged to a priestly family. 6They both lived good lives in God's sight and obeyed fully all the Lord's laws and commands. 7They had no children because Elizabeth could not have any, and she and Zechariah were both very old.
8One day Zechariah was doing his work as a priest in the Temple, taking his turn in the daily service. 9According to the custom followed by the priests, he was chosen by lot to burn incense on the altar. So he went into the Temple of the Lord, 10while the crowd of people outside prayed during the hour when the incense was burnt.
11An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar where the incense was burnt. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was alarmed and felt afraid. 13But the angel said to him, “Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him John. 14How glad and happy you will be, and how happy many others will be when he is born! 15#Num 6.3He will be a great man in the Lord's sight. He must not drink any wine or strong drink. From his very birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, 16and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17#Mal 4.5–6He will go ahead of the Lord, strong and mighty like the prophet Elijah. He will bring fathers and children together again; he will turn disobedient people back to the way of thinking of the righteous; he will get the Lord's people ready for him.”
18Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know if this is so? I am an old man, and my wife is old also.”
19 #
Dan 8.16; 9.21 “I am Gabriel,” the angel answered. “I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20But you have not believed my message, which will come true at the right time. Because you have not believed, you will be unable to speak; you will remain silent until the day my promise to you comes true.”
21In the meantime the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he was spending such a long time in the Temple. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them, and so they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple. Unable to say a word, he made signs to them with his hands.
23When his period of service in the Temple was over, Zechariah went back home. 24Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and did not leave the house for five months. 25“Now at last the Lord has helped me,” she said. “He has taken away my public disgrace!”
The Birth of Jesus is Announced
26In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. 27#Mt 1.18He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary. 28The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”
29Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message, and she wondered what his words meant. 30The angel said to her, “Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. 31#Mt 1.21You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32#2 Sam 7.12, 13, 16; Is 9.7He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, 33and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end!”
34Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”
35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God. 36Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old. 37#Gen 18.14For there is nothing that God cannot do.”
38“I am the Lord's servant,” said Mary; “may it happen to me as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39Soon afterwards Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42and said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord's mother comes to visit me? 44For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness. 45How happy you are to believe that the Lord's message to you will come true!”
Mary's Song of Praise
46 #
1 Sam 2.1–10
Mary said,
“My heart praises the Lord;
47my soul is glad because of God my Saviour,
48 #
1 Sam 1.11
for he has remembered me, his lowly servant!
From now on all people will call me happy,
49because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me.
His name is holy;
50from one generation to another
he shows mercy to those who honour him.
51He has stretched out his mighty arm
and scattered the proud with all their plans.
52 #
Job 5.11; 12.19 He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly.
53He has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors,
and has come to the help of his servant Israel.
55 #
Gen 17.7
He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham
and to all his descendants for ever!”
56Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth and then went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbours and relatives heard how wonderfully good the Lord had been to her, and they all rejoiced with her.
59 #
Lev 12.3
When the baby was a week old, they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60But his mother said, “No! His name is to be John.”
61They said to her, “But you have no relatives with that name!” 62Then they made signs to his father, asking him what name he would like the boy to have.
63Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” How surprised they all were! 64At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God. 65The neighbours were all filled with fear, and the news about these things spread through all the hill country of Judea. 66Everyone who heard of it thought about it and asked, “What is this child going to be?” For it was plain that the Lord's power was upon him.
Zechariah's Prophecy
67John's father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he spoke God's message:
68“Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel!
He has come to the help of his people and has set them free.
69He has provided for us a mighty Saviour,
a descendant of his servant David.
70He promised through his holy prophets long ago
71that he would save us from our enemies,
from the power of all those who hate us.
72He said he would show mercy to our ancestors
and remember his sacred covenant.
73-74With a solemn oath to our ancestor Abraham
he promised to rescue us from our enemies
and allow us to serve him without fear,
75so that we might be holy and righteous before him
all the days of our life.
76 #
Mal 3.1
“You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to prepare his road for him,
77to tell his people that they will be saved
by having their sins forgiven.
78Our God is merciful and tender.
He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us
79 #
Is 9.2
and to shine from heaven on all those who live in the dark shadow of death,
to guide our steps into the path of peace.”
80The child grew and developed in body and spirit. He lived in the desert until the day when he appeared publicly to the people of Israel.
Currently Selected:
Luke 1: GNBDC
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Luke 1
1
The Dedication to Theophilus
1Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled # 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. 3It 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. # 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 # One of the 24 divisions of priests appointed by David for temple service; 1Ch 24:10 # 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 # Lit child because Elizabeth could not conceive, # Lit Elizabeth was sterile or barren and both of them were well along in years. # Lit in their days # 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 startled and overcome with fear. # Lit and fear fell on him # 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 sons 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.” # Lit in her days
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 kept 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’ 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 # 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, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” # 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 call His name 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 been intimate with a man? ” # 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“I am the Lord’s slave,” # Lit Look, the Lord’s slave said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” 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, # Lit leaped in her abdomen or womb 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:
“You are the most blessed of women,
and your child will be blessed! # 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! # Lit in my abdomen or womb 45She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled! ”
Mary’s Praise
46And Mary said:
My soul proclaims the greatness of # Or soul magnifies the Lord, # 1Sm 2:1-10
47and my spirit has rejoiced # 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 slave.
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,
mindful of His mercy, # Because He remembered His mercy; Ps 98:3
55just as He spoke to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants # Or offspring ; lit seed forever. # Gn 17:9,15; 21:12
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, # Lit the Lord magnified His mercy with her # 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
68Praise 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 # = a strong Savior 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 clutches # Lit the hand of those who hate us.
72He has dealt mercifully with our fathers # 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
He has given us the privilege,
74since we have been rescued
from our enemies’ clutches, # Lit from the hand of enemies
to serve Him without fear
75in holiness and righteousness
in His presence all our days.
76And child, you 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 spiritually strong, # Lk 2:40 and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.