Luke 1

1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative of the matters that have been brought to fullness among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and became attendants of the word handed them down to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed everything closely from the first, to write it out for you in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the words in which you were instructed. [a]

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zechariah, from the division of Abijah, and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. [c] 6 And both were righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commands and rules of the Lord. [d] 7 And they had no child, since Elizabeth was barren, and both were far along in their days.

8 Now it happened, while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 that according to the custom of the priesthood the lot fell to him to go into the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense. 11 And a messenger of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was shaken when he saw him, and fear fell on him.

13 But the messenger said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your plea has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John. 14 And there will be joy and gladness for you, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great before the Lord. He will never drink wine and strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. [e] 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 And he himself will go ahead before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the disobedient to the discernment of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” [f]

18 And Zechariah said to the messenger, “By what will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far along in her days.” 19 And the messenger answered him, “I am Gabriel, the one who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. [g] 20 And look, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not trust my words, which will be fulfilled at their own time.”

21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the sanctuary. 22 But when he came out he could not speak to them, and they recognized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary; and he kept making signs to them, and remained unable to speak. [h] 23 And it happened that when the days of his service were completed, he went away to his house.

24 And after those days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she kept herself hidden five months, saying, 25 “This is what the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my disgrace among people.” [i]

26 In the sixth month the messenger Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her he said, “Greetings, favored one; the Lord is with you.” [j] 29 But she was deeply shaken at the word, and she was working out what sort of greeting this might be.

30 And the messenger said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And look, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus. [k] 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 But Mary said to the messenger, “How will this be, since I do not know a man?” 35 And the messenger answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the one being born will be called holy, the Son of God. † 36 And look, Elizabeth your relative has herself also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 because no word will be impossible with God.” [l] 38 And Mary said, “Look, the Lord’s slave. May it happen to me according to your word.” And the messenger went away from her. [m] †

39 In those days Mary got up and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she went into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she called out with a loud cry and said: [n]

46 And Mary said:

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her house.

57 Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 And it happened on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him by the name of his father, Zechariah. 60 And his mother answered and said, “No; he will be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one from your kindred who is called by this name.” 62 And they made signs to his father, as to what he might want him to be called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “John is his name.” And they all wondered.

64 And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue, and he was speaking, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all who lived around them, and in the whole hill country of Judea all these matters were being talked about, 66 and all who heard laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying:

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the deserted places until the day of his showing to Israel.