The Dedication to Theophilus

1Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilleda among us,b 2just as the original eyewitnessesc and servants of the wordd handed them down to us. 3It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorablee Theophilus,f 4so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.g, h

Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth

5In the days of King •Herodi of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s divisionj, k named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6Both were righteous in God’s sight,l living without blamem according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. 7But they had no childrenn because Elizabeth could not conceive,o and both of them were well along in years.pq

8When his division was on dutyr and he was serving as priest before God, 9it happened that he was chosen by lot,s according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.t 10At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11An angel of the Lordu appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.v 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear.wx 13But the angel said to him:

Do not be afraid,y Zechariah,

because your prayer has been heard.z

Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,

and you will name him John.aa

14There will be joy and delight for you,

and many will rejoice at his birth.

15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord

and will never drink wine or beer.ab

He will be filled with the Holy Spiritac

while still in his mother’s womb.ad

16He will turn many of the sons of Israel

to the Lord their God.ae

17And he will go before Him

in the spirit and power of Elijah,

to turn the hearts of fathers

to their children,af

and the disobedient

to the understanding of the righteous,

to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.ag

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

19The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel,ai who stands in the presence of God,aj and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to themak and remained speechless. 23When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.

24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25“The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgraceal among the people.”

Gabriel Predicts Jesus’ Birth

26In the sixth month, the angel Gabrielam was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,an 27to a virgin •engagedao to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.ap The virgin’s name was Mary. 28And the angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”aq 29But she was deeply troubledar by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30Then the angel told her:

Do not be afraid, Mary,as

for you have found favor with God.at

31Now listen:

You will conceive and give birth to a son,

and you will call His name Jesus.au

32He will be great

and will be called the Son of the Most High,av

and the Lord God will give Him

the throne of His father David.aw

33He will reign over the house of Jacobax forever,

and His kingdom will have no end.ay

34Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man? ”az

35The angel replied to her:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,ba

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore, the holy One to be born

will be called the Son of God.bb

36And consider your relative Elizabeth — even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.”bc

38“I am the Lord’s •slave,”bd said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth

39In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah 40where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her,be and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.bf 42Then she exclaimed with a loud cry:

“You are the most blessed of women,

and your child will be blessed!bg

43How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me!bh 45She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled! ”

Mary’s Praise

46And Mary said:

My soul proclaims the greatness ofbi the Lord,bj

47and my spirit has rejoicedbk in God my Savior,bl

48because He has looked with favor

on the humble condition of His slave.

Surely, from now on all generations

will call me blessed,bm

49because the Mighty Onebn

has done great things for me,bo

and His namebp is holy.

50His mercy is from generation to generationbq

on those who fear Him.

51He has done a mighty deed with His arm;br

He has scattered the proud

because of the thoughts of their hearts;bs

52He has toppled the mighty from their thrones

and exalted the lowly.bt

53He has satisfied the hungry with good thingsbu

and sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped His servant Israel,

mindful of His mercy,bv

55just as He spoke to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his descendantsbw forever.bx

56And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.

The Birth and Naming of John

57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. 58Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her His great mercy,by, bz and they rejoiced with her.

59When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day,ca they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60But his mother responded, “No! He will be called John.”cb

61Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” 62So they motioned to his fathercc to find out what he wanted him to be called. 63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote:

HIS NAME IS JOHN.

And they were all amazed. 64Immediately his mouth was openedcd and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard about himce took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become? ” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

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

68Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,ch

because He has visited

and provided •redemption for His people.ci

69He has raised up a •horn of salvationcj for usck

in the house of His servant David,cl

70just as He spoke by the mouth

of His holy prophets in ancient times;cm

71salvation from our enemies

and from the clutchescn of those who hate us.

72He has dealt mercifully with our fathersco

and remembered His holy covenantcp —

73the oath that He swore to our father Abraham.cq

He has given us the privilege,

74since we have been rescued

from our enemies’ clutches,cr

to serve Him without fear

75in holiness and righteousness

in His presence all our days.

76And child, you will be called

a prophet of the Most High,cs

for you will go before the Lord

to prepare His ways,ct

77to give His people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins.cu

78Because of our God’s merciful compassion,

the Dawn from on highcv will visit us

79to shine on those who live in darkness

and the shadow of death,cw

to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80The child grew up and became spiritually strong,cx and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.