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.
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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
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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