Luke 1
1
Luke Writes to Theophilus
1Many have attempted to write about what had taken place among us. 2They received their information from those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of God’s word from the beginning, and they passed it on to us. 3I, too, have followed everything closely from the beginning. So I thought it would be a good idea to write an orderly account for Your Excellency, Theophilus. 4In this way you will know that what you’ve been told is true.
The Angel Gabriel Appears to Zechariah
5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division of priests named after Abijah. Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. 6Zechariah and Elizabeth had God’s approval. They followed all the Lord’s commands and regulations perfectly. 7Yet, they never had any children because Elizabeth couldn’t become pregnant. Both of them were too old to have children.
8Zechariah was on duty with his division of priests. As he served in God’s presence, 9he was chosen by priestly custom to go into the Lord’s temple to burn incense. 10All the people were praying outside while he was burning incense.
11Then, to the right of the incense altar, an angel of the Lord appeared to him. 12Zechariah was troubled and overcome with fear.
13The angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John. 14He will be your pride and joy, and many people will be glad that he was born. 15As far as the Lord is concerned, he will be a great man. He will never drink wine or any other liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16He will bring many people in Israel back to the Lord their God. 17He will go ahead of the Lord with the spirit and power that Elijah had. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children. He will change disobedient people so that they will accept the wisdom of those who have God’s approval. In this way he will prepare the people for their Lord.”
18Zechariah said to the angel, “What proof is there for this? I’m an old man, and my wife is beyond her childbearing years.”
19The angel answered him, “I’m Gabriel! I stand in God’s presence. God sent me to tell you this good news. 20But because you didn’t believe what I said, you will be unable to talk until the day this happens. Everything will come true at the right time.”
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah. They were amazed that he was staying in the temple so long. 22When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. So they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. He motioned to them but remained unable to talk.
23When the days of his service were over, he went home. 24Later, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and didn’t go out in public for five months. She said, 25“The Lord has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace.”
The Angel Gabriel Comes to Mary
26Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. 27The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.”
29She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant.
30The angel told her,
“Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor #1:30 Or “grace.” with God.
31You will become pregnant, give birth to a son,
and name him Jesus.
32He will be a great man
and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his ancestor David.
33Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever,
and his kingdom will never end.”
34Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”
35The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.
36“Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. 37But nothing is impossible for God.”
38Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”
Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. 40She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. 43I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. 44As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy. 45You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”
Mary Praises God
46Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord’s greatness!
47My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior,
48because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant.
“From now on, all people will call me blessed
49because the Almighty has done great things to me.
His name is holy.
50For those who fear him,
his mercy lasts throughout every generation.
51“He displayed his mighty power.
He scattered those who think too highly of themselves.
52He pulled strong rulers from their thrones.
He honored humble people.
53He fed hungry people with good food.
He sent rich people away with nothing.
54“He remembered to help his servant Israel forever.
55This is the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants.”
56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
John Is Born
57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her, and they shared her joy.
59When the child was eight days old, they went ⌞to the temple⌟ to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60But his mother spoke up, “Absolutely not! His name will be John.”
61Their friends said to her, “But you don’t have any relatives with that name.”
62So they motioned to the baby’s father to see what he wanted to name the child. 63Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.
64Suddenly, Zechariah was able to speak, and he began to praise God.
65All their neighbors were filled with awe. Throughout the mountain region of Judea, people talked about everything that had happened. 66Everyone who heard about it seriously thought it over and asked, “What does the future hold for this child?” It was clear that the Lord was with him.
67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,
68“Praise the Lord God of Israel!
He has come to take care of his people
and to set them free.
69He has raised up a mighty Savior for us
in the family of his servant David.
70He made this promise through his holy prophets long ago.
71He promised to save us from our enemies
and from the power of all who hate us.
72He has shown his mercy to our ancestors
and remembered his holy promise,#1:72 Or “covenant.”
73the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.
74He promised to rescue us from our enemies’ power
so that we could serve him without fear
75by being holy and honorable as long as we live.
76“You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way.
77You will make his people know that they can be saved
through the forgiveness of their sins.
78A new day will dawn on us from above
because our God is loving and merciful.
79He will give light to those who live in the dark
and in death’s shadow.
He will guide us into the way of peace.”
80The child John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the day he appeared to the people of Israel.
Currently Selected:
Luke 1: GW
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
Luke 1
1
1Forasmuch as many have undertaken to draw up a relation concerning the matters fully believed among us, 2as those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses of and attendants on the Word have delivered them to us, 3it has seemed good to me also, accurately acquainted from the origin with all things, to write to thee with method, most excellent Theophilus, 4that thou mightest know the certainty of those things in which thou hast been instructed.
5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abia, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth. 6And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. 8And it came to pass, as he fulfilled his priestly service before God in the order of his course, 9it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense. 10And all the multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense. 11And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the altar of incense. 12And Zacharias was troubled, seeing him, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias, because thy supplication has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14And he shall be to thee joy and rejoicing, and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15For he shall be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn hearts of fathers to children, and disobedient ones to the thoughts of just men, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people. 18And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife advanced in years? 19And the angel answering, said to him, I am Gabriel, who stand before God, and I have been sent to speak to thee, and to bring these glad tidings to thee; 20and behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, till the day in which these things shall take place, because thou hast not believed my words, the which shall be fulfilled in their time. 21And the people were awaiting Zacharias, and they wondered at his delaying in the temple. 22But when he came out he could not speak to them, and they recognised that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, and continued dumb. 23And it came to pass, when the days of his service were completed, he departed to his house. 24Now after these days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25Thus has the Lord done to me in these days in which he looked upon me to take away my reproach among men.
26But in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent of God to a city of Galilee, of which the name was 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 the angel came in to her, and said, Hail, thou favoured one! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst women. 29But she, seeing the angel, was troubled at his word, and reasoned in her mind what this salutation might be. 30And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God; 31and behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb and bear a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus. 32He shall be great, and shall be called Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give him the throne of David his father; 33and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for the ages, and of his kingdom there shall not be an end. 34But Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I know not a man? 35And the angel answering said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee, and power of the Highest overshadow thee, wherefore the holy thing also which shall be born shall be called Son of God. 36And behold, Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her that was called barren: 37for nothing shall be impossible with God. 38And Mary said, Behold the bondmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. 41And it came to pass, as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed artthou amongst women, and blessed the fruit of thy womb. 43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped with joy in my womb. 45And blessed is she that has believed, for there shall be a fulfilment of the things spoken to her from the Lord. 46And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48For he has looked upon the low estate of his bondmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49For the Mighty One has done to me great things, and holy is his name; 50and his mercy is to generations and generations to them that fear him. 51He has wrought strength with his arm; he has scattered haughty ones in the thought of their heart. 52He has put down rulers from thrones, and exalted the lowly. 53He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent away the rich empty. 54He has helped Israel his servant, in order to remember mercy, 55(as he spoke to our fathers,) to Abraham and to his seed for ever. 56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her house.
57But the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth that she should bring forth, and she gave birth to a son. 58And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her. 59And it came to pass on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called it after the name of his father, Zacharias. 60And his mother answering said, No; but he shall be called John. 61And they said to her, There is no one among thy kinsfolk who is called by this name. 62And they made signs to his father as to what he might wish it to be called. 63And having asked for a writing-table, he wrote saying, John is his name. And they all wondered. 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he spake, blessing God. 65And fear came upon all who dwelt round about them; and in the whole hill-country of Judaea all these things were the subject of conversation. 66And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then will this child be? And the Lord's hand was with him.
67And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, because he has visited and wrought redemption for his people, 69and raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of David his servant; 70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began; 71deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us; 72to fulfil mercy with our fathers and remember his holy covenant, 73the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, 74to give us, that, saved out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear 75in piety and righteousness before him all our days. 76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways; 77to give knowledge of deliverance to his people by the remission of their sins 78on account of the bowels of mercy of our God; wherein the dayspring from on high has visited us, 79to shine upon them who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80— And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit; and he was in the deserts until the day of his shewing to Israel.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.