1Since many have taken in hand to compile a written narration of the matters which have been fully believed among us, 2As they delivered them to us, those who from the beginning had been eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word, 3It seemed good to me also, having accurately understood everything from the very first, to write these things in an orderly sequence to you, most excellent Theophilus, 4So that you might know the absolute certainty of the things in which you have been instructed.

5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest of the course of Abijah, Zacharias by name; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6Now they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7But they did not have a child, as Elizabeth was barren; and both were well advanced in age.

8And it came to pass that in fulfilling his priestly service before God in the order of his course, 9According to the custom of the priestly service, it fell to him by lot to burn incense when he entered into the temple of the Lord. 10And all the multitude of the people outside were praying at the hour of the burning of incense. 11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12And when he saw the angel, Zacharias was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said to him, "Fear not, Zacharias, because your supplication has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you, and you shall call his name John. 14And he shall be a joy and exultation to you; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15For he shall be great before the Lord. And he shall never drink wine or strong drink in any form, but he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. 16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17And he shall 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 righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

18Then Zacharias said to the angel, "By what means shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." 19And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to announce this good news to you. 20But behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day in which these things shall take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time."

21Now the people were expecting Zacharias, and they were wondering why he was taking such a long time in the temple. 22But when he came out, he was not able to speak to them. Then they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; for he was making signs to them, but he remained mute. 23Now it came to pass that when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.

24And after those days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, but hid herself for five months, saying, 25"The Lord has intervened for me in this, at the time in which He looked upon me to take away my reproach among men."

26And in the sixth month of her pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27To a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the lineage of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. 28And after coming to her, the angel said, "Hail, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women." 29But when she saw him, she was greatly perplexed at his message, and was considering what kind of salutation this might be. 30Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found grace with God; 31And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and give birth to a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of David, His forefather; 33And He shall reign over the house of Jacob into the ages, and of His kingdom there shall be no end." 34But Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?" 35And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you; and for this reason, the Holy One being begotten in you shall be called the Son of God. 36Now behold, Elizabeth your kinswoman has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37For with God nothing shall be impossible." 38And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

39And Mary rose up in those days and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40And entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41Now it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43But why is this happening to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the babe in my womb leaped in exultation. 45And blessed is she who has believed, for there shall be a fulfillment of the things spoken to her from the Lord."

46Then Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,

47And my spirit has exulted in God my Savior;

48For He has looked upon the humble estate of His handmaid; for behold, from this time forward all generations shall count me blessed,

49Because the Mighty One has done great things to me, and holy is His name;

50And His mercy is toward those who fear Him, from generation to generation.

51He has worked strength with His arm; He has scattered the haughty in the imagination of their hearts.

52He has put down rulers from thrones, and has exalted the lowly.

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

54He has helped His servant Israel, in remembering His mercy,

55Exactly as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."

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

57Now Elizabeth's time was fulfilled that she should give birth, and she bore a son. 58And her neighbors and kinfolk heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.

59And it came to pass on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the little child; and they were calling him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60Then his mother answered and said, "No! But he shall be named John." 61And they said to her, "There is no one among your kinfolk who is called by this name." 62Then they made signs to his father as to what he desired him to be named. 63And after signaling for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, "John is his name." And they were all amazed. 64Then his mouth was immediately opened, and his tongue was loosed; and he spoke, praising God. 65And fear came upon all those who dwelt around them; and in the entire hill country of Judea, all these things were being talked about. 66And all who heard these things laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this little child be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.

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

68"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and has worked redemption for His people,

69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David;

70Exactly as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began;

71Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us;

72To fulfill the promise of mercy made to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant,

73The oath that He swore to Abraham our father; to grant us that,

74Being saved from the hand of our enemies, we might serve Him without fear,

75Walking in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.

76And you, little child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest; for you shall go before the face of the Lord, to prepare His ways;

77To give the knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins,

78Through the deep inner compassions of our God; in which the dayspring from on high has visited us,

79To shine upon those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace."

80And the little child grew and was strengthened in spirit; and he was in the wilderness until the day of his appearing to Israel.