| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, | 1Now many have undertaken to compile 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. | 2like the accounts passed on to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning. |
| 3Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, | 3So it seemed good to me as well, because I have followed all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, |
| 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. | 4so that you may know for certain the things you were taught. |
| 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 daughter of Aaron. | 5During the reign of Herod king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and he had a wife named Elizabeth, who 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. | 6They were both righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. |
| 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years. | 7But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both very old. |
| 8One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, | 8Now while Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, |
| 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. | 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the holy place of the Lord and burn incense. |
| 10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside. | 10Now the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. |
| 11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. | 11An angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeared to him. |
| 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. | 12And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel, was seized 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. | 13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you will name him John. |
| 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, | 14Joy and gladness will come 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. | 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. |
| 16Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God. | 16He will turn many of the people of Israel 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 children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” | 17And he will go as forerunner before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him." |
| 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.” | 18Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well." |
| 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. | 19The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was 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.” | 20And now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place." |
| 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple. | 21Now the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder why he was delayed in the holy place. |
| 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 speechless. | 22When he came out, he was not able to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the holy place, because he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak. |
| 23And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home. | 23When his time of service was over, he went to his home. |
| 24After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared, | 24After some time his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she kept herself in seclusion. She said, |
| 25“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” | 25"This is what the Lord has done for me at the time when he has been gracious to me, to take away my disgrace among people." |
| 26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, | 26In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town of 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. | 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant 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.” | 28The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one, the Lord is with you!" |
| 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. | 29But she was greatly troubled by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting. |
| 30So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. | 30So the angel said to 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. | 31Listen: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will 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, | 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and 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!” | 33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end." |
| 34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” | 34Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?" |
| 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 born will be called the Son of God. | 35The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will 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. | 36"And look, your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age--although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month! |
| 37For no word from God will ever fail.” | 37For nothing will be impossible with God." |
| 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her. | 38So Mary said, "Yes, I am a servant of the Lord; let this happen to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. |
| 39In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah, | 39In those days Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, |
| 40where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. | 40and entered Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth. |
| 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. | 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! | 42She exclaimed with a loud voice, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb! |
| 43And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? | 43And who am I that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? |
| 44For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. | 44For the instant 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.” | 45And blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled." |
| 46Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, | 46And Mary said, "My soul exalts the Lord, |
| 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! | 47and my spirit has begun to rejoice 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. | 48because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. For from now on all generations will call me blessed, |
| 49For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name. | 49because he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name; |
| 50His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. | 50from generation to generation he is merciful to those who fear him. |
| 51He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. | 51He has demonstrated power with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance of their hearts. |
| 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble. | 52He has brought down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position; |
| 53He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty. | 53he has filled the hungry with good things, and has sent the rich away empty. |
| 54He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful, | 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy, |
| 55as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” | 55as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever." |
| 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. | 56So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her home. |
| 57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. | 57Now the time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. |
| 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her. | 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, 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. | 59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. |
| 60But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.” | 60But his mother replied, "No! He must be named John." |
| 61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.” | 61They said to her, "But none of your relatives bears this name." |
| 62So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child. | 62So they made signs to the baby's father, inquiring what he wanted to name his son. |
| 63Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. | 63He asked for a writing 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. | 64Immediately Zechariah's mouth was opened and his tongue released, and he spoke, blessing God. |
| 65All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events. | 65All their neighbors were filled with fear, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea all these things were talked about. |
| 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. | 66All who heard these things kept them in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the Lord's hand was indeed with him. |
| 67Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: | 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. | 68"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has come to help and has redeemed his people. |
| 69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, | 69For he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, |
| 70as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past, | 70as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago, |
| 71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, | 71that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us. |
| 72to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, | 72He has done this to show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant-- |
| 73the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us | 73the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham. This oath grants |
| 74deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear, | 74that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, may serve him without fear, |
| 75in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives. | 75in holiness and righteousness before him for as long as we live. |
| 76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, | 76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, |
| 77to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, | 77to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. |
| 78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high, | 78Because of our God's tender mercy the dawn will break upon us from on high |
| 79to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” | 79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way 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. | 80And the child kept growing and becoming strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he was revealed to Israel. |
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