Dedication to Theophilus
1 Since many have undertaken to set forth a declaration of these things which are most surely believed among us, 2 who, from the beginning, were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. 3 It seemed good to me also, having been acquainted with all these things from the beginning, to write it out in order to you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you might know, with certainty, the things of which you have been instructed.
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 There was, in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he was executing the priest’s office before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, it fell to him by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 The whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call him John. 14 He will bring joy and gladness to you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For 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, from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He 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 make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 Zacharias 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.”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of the Lord. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 You will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. 22 When 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. 23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “The Lord has done this to me when he looked at me with favor, to take away my reproach among men.
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel came in and said to her, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at what he said and pondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ 32 He 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen, since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you shall be called the Son of God. 36 Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. 37 For with God, nothing is impossible.”
38 Mary said, “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.”
And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 And Mary, rising up in those days, went in haste into the hill country, to a city of Juda, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapt in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leapt for joy in my womb! 45 Blessed is she who believed, for the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord will be fulfilled!”
The Magnificat
46 Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48 for he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid.
For from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
50 His mercy is on those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud
in and by the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the mighty from their seats
and has exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his offspring forever.”
56 Mary stayed with her about three months and then returned to her own house.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now Elizabeth was full term, and it was time for her to deliver, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass, on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and they were calling him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 His mother answered, “No, rather he will be called John.”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.”
They were all astonished. 64 His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue loosed, and he spoke and praised God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
Zechariah’s Song
67 His 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,
69 and 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),
71 that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to our father Abraham,
74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
76 And 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,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
78 through the tender mercy of our God,
by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.