Luke

Dedication to Theophilus

1Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,

2just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

3Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Gabriel Foretells John’s Birth

5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.

6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.

7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.

8One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.

11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,

15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

16Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.

17And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their childrenand the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”

19“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

20And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.

22When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.

24After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,

25“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

Gabriel Foretells Jesus’ Birth

26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

27to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

28The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings,you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name 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. His kingdom will never end!”

34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be bornwill be called the Son of God.

36Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.

37For no word from God will ever fail.”

38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,

40where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”

Mary’s Song

46Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

48For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant.From now on all generations will call me blessed.

49For the Mighty One has done great things for me.Holy is His name.

50His mercy extends to those who fear Him,from generation to generation.

51He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

52He has brought down rulers from their thrones,but has exalted the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things,but has sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped His servant Israel,remembering to be merciful,

55as He promised to our fathers,to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

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 shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

59On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.

60But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”

61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”

62So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.

63Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

64Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.

65All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.

66And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Song

67Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,because He has visited and redeemed His people.

69He has raised up a horn of salvation for usin the house of His servant David,

70as He spoke through His holy prophets,those of ages past,

71salvation from our enemiesand from the hand of all who hate us,

72to show mercy to our fathersand to remember His holy covenant,

73the oath He swore to our father Abraham,to grant us

74deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,

75in holiness and righteousness before Himall the days of our lives.

76And you, child, will be calleda prophet of the Most High;for you will go on before the Lordto prepare the way for Him,

77to give to His people the knowledge of salvationthrough the forgiveness of their sins,

78because of the tender mercy of our God,by which the Dawnwill visit us from on high,

79to shine on those who live in darknessand in the shadow of death,to guide our feetinto the path of peace.”

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit;and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.

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,’ 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,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.”

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 offspringforever.”

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.