Luke 1
1
1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, 3it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus; 4that thou mightest know the certainty concerning the things wherein thou wast instructed.
5There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8Now it came to pass, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense. 11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God. 17And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him. 18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these good tidings. 20And behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled while he tarried in the temple. 22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he continued making signs unto them, and remained dumb. 23And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were fulfilled, he departed unto his house. 24And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men.
26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 28And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee. 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. 30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and 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 his father David: 33and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also that which is to be born shall be called holy, the Son of God. 36And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren. 37For no word from God shall be void of power. 38And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; 40and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth. 41And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost; 42and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, 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 unto me? 44For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. 46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaiden: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name. 50And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear him. 51He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. 52He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree. 53The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away. 54He hath holpen Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy 55(As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever. 56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned unto her house.
57Now Elisabeth's time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58And her neighbours and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her. 59And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 61And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called. 63And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marveled all. 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, blessing God. 65And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, 69And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David 70(As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began), 71Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72To shew mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant; 73The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father, 74To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, 75In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways; 77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people In the remission of their sins, 78Because of the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us, 79To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace. 80And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
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maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society
Luke 1
1
Dedication to Theophilus
1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that #2 Tim. 4:5, 17 (Gk.); [Acts 3:18]have been accomplished among us, 2#[Heb. 2:3] just as those who #John 15:27; 16:4; [Mark 1:1; Acts 11:15] from the beginning were #2 Pet. 1:16; 1 John 1:1, 3; [Acts 4:20; 1 Pet. 5:1] eyewitnesses and #Acts 26:16; 1 Cor. 4:1 ministers of #See Mark 4:14 the word #1 Cor. 11:2, 23have delivered them to us, 3it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write #Acts 11:4 an orderly account for you, #Acts 23:26; 24:3; 26:25 most excellent #Acts 1:1Theophilus, 4that you may have #Acts 2:36 (Gk.); [2 Pet. 1:16, 19] certainty concerning the things #Acts 18:25; Rom. 2:18; 1 Cor. 14:19; Gal. 6:6 (Gk.)you have been taught.
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 #
Matt. 2:1 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,#1:5 Greek Zacharias #1 Chr. 24:10 of #ver. 8the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6And they were both #ch. 2:25 righteous before God, walking #Phil. 2:15; 3:6; 1 Thess. 2:10; 3:13; 5:23; [Acts 23:1; 24:16]blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because #ver. 36; [Judg. 13:2; 1 Sam. 1:2] Elizabeth was barren, and #[Gen. 18:11; Heb. 11:11, 12]both were advanced in years.
8Now #1 Chr. 24:19; 2 Chr. 8:14; 31:2; [ver. 23] while he was serving as priest before God when #ver. 5his division was on duty, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot #Ex. 30:7, 8; 1 Sam. 2:28; 1 Chr. 23:13; 2 Chr. 29:11 to enter #ver. 21, 22; Rev. 11:2, 19; [Heb. 9:2, 3]the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people #Ps. 141:2; [Rev. 5:8; 8:3, 4] were praying #[Lev. 16:17]outside at the hour of incense. 11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of #Ex. 30:1-10; 40:26, 27the altar of incense. 12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and #Acts 19:17fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for #[Acts 10:4, 31] your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and #ver. 60, 63you shall call his name John. 14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will #[ver. 58]rejoice at his birth, 15for he will be #ch. 7:28; Matt. 11:11 great before the Lord. And #ch. 7:33; Num. 6:3; Judg. 13:4, 7, 14; Matt. 11:18 he must not drink wine or strong #[Acts 2:15, 17; Eph. 5:18] drink, and #[Acts 2:15, 17; Eph. 5:18] he will be #ver. 41, 67; See Acts 2:4 filled with the Holy Spirit, #Isa. 49:1, 5; Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15even from his mother’s womb. 16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17and #ver. 76; John 3:28 he will go before him #See Matt. 11:14 in the spirit and power of Elijah, #Cited from Mal. 4:6 to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and #Rom. 10:21 the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, #ch. 7:27; Mal. 3:1; Matt. 11:10; Mark 1:2to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18And Zechariah said to the angel, #Gen. 15:8; [Gen. 17:17]“How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19And the angel answered him, “I am #ver. 26; Dan. 8:16; 9:21 Gabriel. #Rev. 8:2; [1 Kgs. 17:1; Job 1:6; Isa. 63:9; Matt. 18:10]I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20And behold, #[Ezek. 3:26; 24:27]you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in #See ver. 9the temple. 22And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in #[See ver. 21 above] the temple. And #ver. 62he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23And #2 Chr. 23:8; [ver. 8; 2 Kgs. 11:5; 1 Chr. 9:25] when his time of #Heb. 10:11service was ended, he went to his home.
24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, #[Gen. 30:23; 1 Sam. 1:6; Ps. 113:9; Isa. 4:1]to take away my reproach among people.”
Birth of Jesus Foretold
26In the sixth month the angel #ver. 19 Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named #See Matt. 2:23Nazareth, 27#Matt. 1:16, 18 to a virgin betrothed#1:27 That is, legally pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, #ch. 2:4; Matt. 1:20of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, #[Ps. 45:2; Dan. 9:23] O favored one, #Judg. 6:12the Lord is with you!”#1:28 Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women! 29But #See ver. 12she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for #Acts 7:46you have found favor with God. 31And behold, #Isa. 7:14 you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and #ch. 2:21; Matt. 1:21, 25you shall call his name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of #ver. 76; ch. 6:35; Acts 7:48; See Mark 5:7 the Most High. And the Lord God #ver. 69; 2 Sam. 7:11-13, 16; Ps. 89:4; 132:11; Isa. 9:6, 7; 16:5; Acts 2:30; [Rev. 3:7] will give to him the throne of #See Matt. 1:1his father David, 33and he will reign over the house of Jacob #Dan. 2:44; 7:14, 18, 27; Heb. 1:8; Rev. 11:15; [John 12:34]forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”#1:34 Greek since I do not know a man
35And the angel answered her, #Matt. 1:18, 20 “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of #[See ver. 32 above] the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born#1:35 Some manuscripts add of you will be called #John 6:69 holy—#See Matt. 14:33the Son of God. 36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her #ver. 7who was called barren. 37For #Cited from Gen. 18:14 (Gk.); See Matt. 19:26nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant#1:38 Greek bondservant; also verse 48 of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And #[Judg. 6:21; Acts 12:10]the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into #ver. 65; Josh. 20:7; 21:11the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth #ver. 15, 67was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, #[Judg. 5:24] “Blessed are you among women, and #[Deut. 28:4] blessed is #Ps. 127:3the fruit of your womb! 43And why is this granted to me that the mother of #ch. 20:42; John 20:28; [ch. 2:11]my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45And #John 20:29; [ver. 20]blessed is she who believed that there would be#1:45 Or believed, for there will be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46And Mary said,
# For ver. 46-53, [1 Sam. 2:1-10] “My #1 Thess. 5:23 soul #Ps. 34:2, 3; 69:30; Acts 10:46; 19:17magnifies the Lord,
47 #
Ps. 35:9; Isa. 61:10; Hab. 3:18; [Acts 16:34] and my #[See ver. 46 above] spirit rejoices in #Ps. 106:21; 1 Tim. 1:1; 2:3; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4; Jude 25; [2 Tim. 1:9]God my Savior,
48for #1 Sam. 1:11; Ps. 138:6; [ch. 9:38] he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations #ch. 11:27; Ps. 72:17; [Mal. 3:12]will call me blessed;
49for #Ps. 89:8; Zeph. 3:17 he who is mighty #Ps. 71:19; 126:2, 3 has done great things for me,
and #Ps. 99:3; 111:9; Isa. 57:15holy is his name.
50And #Deut. 5:10; 7:9; Ps. 89:1, 2; 103:17his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 #
Ps. 89:10; 98:1; 118:16; Isa. 51:9 He has shown strength with his arm;
#
Dan. 4:37; See James 4:6 he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 # [See ver. 51 above] he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
#
Job 5:11; Ps. 75:7; 107:40, 41; 113:7, 8; 147:6; Ezek. 21:26; [James 4:10] and exalted those of humble estate;
53he has filled #Ps. 34:10; 107:9; [ch. 6:21, 24, 25] the hungry with good things,
and the rich #Job 22:9he has sent away empty.
54He has #Isa. 41:8, 9; Heb. 2:16 helped #Isa. 44:21; 49:3 his servant Israel,
#
Ps. 98:3; Mic. 7:20; [ver. 72, 73] in remembrance of his mercy,
55 #
Gen. 17:19; Ps. 132:11; Gal. 3:16 as he spoke to our fathers,
# [See ver. 54 above] to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord #Gen. 19:19had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59And #ch. 2:21; Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3; Phil. 3:5on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60but his mother answered, “No; #ver. 13he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62And #ver. 22they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63And he asked for #Isa. 8:1; 30:8 a writing tablet and wrote, #[See ver. 60 above]“His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64#ver. 20 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue #Mark 7:35 loosed, and he spoke, #ch. 2:28; 24:53blessing God. 65And #ch. 7:16 fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all #See ver. 39the hill country of Judea, 66and all who heard them #[ch. 2:19, 51] laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For #Acts 11:21; 13:11the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67And his father Zechariah #ver. 15, 41 was filled with the Holy Spirit and #Joel 2:28prophesied, saying,
68 #
1 Kgs. 1:48; 1 Chr. 29:10; Ezra 7:27; Ps. 41:13; 72:18; 106:48 “Blessed be the Lord #Isa. 29:23; Matt. 15:31; Acts 13:17 God of Israel,
for he has #ch. 7:16; Ex. 4:31; [ver. 78; Acts 15:14; Heb. 2:6] visited and #ch. 2:38; Ps. 111:9; 130:7, 8; [ch. 24:21; Isa. 43:1; 59:20]redeemed his people
69and #1 Sam. 2:1, 10; Ps. 132:17; Ezek. 29:21 has raised up #2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 18:2 a horn of salvation for us
# ver. 32 in the house of his servant David,
70 #
Rom. 1:2; [Jer. 23:5, 6] as #Acts 3:21he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 #
Ps. 106:10
that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 #
Mic. 7:20 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and #Lev. 26:42; Ps. 105:8, 9; [ver. 54, 55] to remember his holy #See Rom. 9:4covenant,
73 #
Gen. 22:16-18; 26:3; Heb. 6:13, 14 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him #Zeph. 3:15without fear,
75 #
Eph. 4:24; [1 Thess. 2:10; Titus 2:12] in holiness and righteousness before him #[Jer. 32:39 (Heb.); Matt. 28:20 (Gk.)]all our days.
76And you, child, will be called #ch. 7:26; 20:6; Matt. 11:9; 14:5 the prophet of #See ver. 32 the Most High;
for #ver. 17; ch. 3:4; 7:27; Mal. 3:1; Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:2, 3you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77to give knowledge of salvation to his people
# [Matt. 26:28; Mark 1:4] in the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the #Col. 3:12 (Gk.) tender mercy of our God,
whereby #Mal. 4:2; Eph. 5:14; 2 Pet. 1:19 the sunrise shall #See ver. 68 visit us#1:78 Or when the sunrise shall dawn upon us; some manuscripts since the sunrise has visited us #ch. 24:49from on high
79to #Isa. 9:2; Matt. 4:16; [Acts 26:18]; See John 8:12 give light to #Ps. 107:10; Isa. 42:7 those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into #Rom. 3:17 the way of #See ch. 2:14peace.”
80 # ch. 2:40 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was #Matt. 3:1; 11:7in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
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