New Living Translation

Greek Study Bible

1Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us.

1Ἐπειδήπερ πολλοὶ ἐπεχείρησαν ἀνατάξασθαι διήγησιν περὶ τῶν πεπληροφορημένων ἐν ἡμῖν πραγμάτων

2They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.

2καθὼς παρέδοσαν ἡμῖν οἱ ἀπ’ ἀρχῆς αὐτόπται καὶ ὑπηρέται γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου

3Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus,

3ἔδοξε κἀμοὶ παρηκολουθηκότι ἄνωθεν πᾶσιν ἀκριβῶς καθεξῆς σοι γράψαι κράτιστε Θεόφιλε

4so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught. The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

4ἵνα ἐπιγνῷς περὶ ὧν κατηχήθης λόγων τὴν ἀσφάλειαν

5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.

5Ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Ἡρῴδου βασιλέως τῆς Ἰουδαίας ἱερεύς τις ὀνόματι Ζαχαρίας ἐξ ἐφημερίας Ἀβιά καὶ γυνὴ αὐτῷ ἐκ τῶν θυγατέρων Ἀαρών καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Ἐλισάβετ

6Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.

6ἦσαν δὲ δίκαιοι ἀμφότεροι ἐναντίον τοῦ Θεοῦ πορευόμενοι ἐν πάσαις ταῖς ἐντολαῖς καὶ δικαιώμασιν τοῦ Κυρίου ἄμεμπτοι

7They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

7καὶ οὐκ ἦν αὐτοῖς τέκνον καθότι ἦν ἡ Ἐλισάβετ στεῖρα καὶ ἀμφότεροι προβεβηκότες ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῶν ἦσαν

8One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week.

8Ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ ἱερατεύειν αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ τάξει τῆς ἐφημερίας αὐτοῦ ἔναντι τοῦ Θεοῦ

9As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.

9κατὰ τὸ ἔθος τῆς ἱερατείας ἔλαχε τοῦ θυμιᾶσαι εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Κυρίου

10While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

10καὶ πᾶν τὸ πλῆθος ἦν τοῦ λαοῦ προσευχόμενον ἔξω τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ θυμιάματος

11While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.

11Ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἑστὼς ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου τοῦ θυμιάματος

12Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.

12καὶ ἐταράχθη Ζαχαρίας ἰδών καὶ φόβος ἐπέπεσεν ἐπ’ αὐτόν

13But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.

13Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος Μὴ φοβοῦ Ζαχαρία διότι εἰσηκούσθη ἡ δέησίς σου καὶ ἡ γυνή σου Ἐλισάβετ γεννήσει υἱόν σοι καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰωάννην

14You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

14καὶ ἔσται χαρά σοι καὶ ἀγαλλίασις καὶ πολλοὶ ἐπὶ τῇ γενέσει αὐτοῦ χαρήσονται

15for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.

15ἔσται γὰρ μέγας ἐνώπιον ‹τοῦ› Κυρίου καὶ οἶνον καὶ σίκερα οὐ μὴ πίῃ καὶ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου πλησθήσεται ἔτι ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς αὐτοῦ

16And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.

16καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ ἐπιστρέψει ἐπὶ Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν

17He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

17καὶ αὐτὸς προελεύσεται ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ ἐν πνεύματι καὶ δυνάμει Ἠλίου ἐπιστρέψαι καρδίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα καὶ ἀπειθεῖς ἐν φρονήσει δικαίων ἑτοιμάσαι Κυρίῳ λαὸν κατεσκευασμένον

18Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

18Καὶ εἶπεν Ζαχαρίας πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον Κατὰ τί γνώσομαι τοῦτο ἐγὼ γάρ εἰμι πρεσβύτης καὶ ἡ γυνή μου προβεβηκυῖα ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτῆς

19Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!

19Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἐγώ εἰμι Γαβριὴλ ὁ παρεστηκὼς ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἀπεστάλην λαλῆσαι πρὸς σὲ καὶ εὐαγγελίσασθαί σοι ταῦτα

20But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

20καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔσῃ σιωπῶν καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας γένηται ταῦτα ἀνθ’ ὧν οὐκ ἐπίστευσας τοῖς λόγοις μου οἵτινες πληρωθήσονται εἰς τὸν καιρὸν αὐτῶν

21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.

21Καὶ ἦν ὁ λαὸς προσδοκῶν τὸν Ζαχαρίαν καὶ ἐθαύμαζον ἐν τῷ χρονίζειν ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτόν

22When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

22ἐξελθὼν δὲ οὐκ ἐδύνατο λαλῆσαι αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν ὅτι ὀπτασίαν ἑώρακεν ἐν τῷ ναῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν διανεύων αὐτοῖς καὶ διέμενεν κωφός

23When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.

23καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τῆς λειτουργίας αὐτοῦ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ

24Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.

24Μετὰ δὲ ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας συνέλαβεν Ἐλισάβετ ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ καὶ περιέκρυβεν ἑαυτὴν μῆνας πέντε λέγουσα

25“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” The Birth of Jesus Foretold

25ὅτι Οὕτως μοι πεποίηκεν Κύριος ἐν ἡμέραις αἷς ἐπεῖδεν ἀφελεῖν ὄνειδός μου ἐν ἀνθρώποις

26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,

26Ἐν δὲ τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἕκτῳ ἀπεστάλη ὁ ἄγγελος Γαβριὴλ ἀπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰς πόλιν τῆς Γαλιλαίας ᾗ ὄνομα Ναζαρὲθ

27to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.

27πρὸς παρθένον ἐμνηστευμένην ἀνδρὶ ᾧ ὄνομα Ἰωσὴφ ἐξ οἴκου Δαυὶδ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς παρθένου Μαριάμ

28Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! ”

28καὶ εἰσελθὼν πρὸς αὐτὴν εἶπεν Χαῖρε κεχαριτωμένη ὁ Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ ⧼εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξίν⧽

29Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.

29Ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ διεταράχθη καὶ διελογίζετο ποταπὸς εἴη ὁ ἀσπασμὸς οὗτος

30“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!

30καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτῇ Μὴ φοβοῦ Μαριάμ εὗρες γὰρ χάριν παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ

31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.

31καὶ ἰδοὺ συλλήμψῃ ἐν γαστρὶ καὶ τέξῃ υἱόν καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν

32He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.

32οὗτος ἔσται μέγας καὶ Υἱὸς Ὑψίστου κληθήσεται καὶ δώσει αὐτῷ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸν θρόνον Δαυὶδ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ

33And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

33καὶ βασιλεύσει ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον Ἰακὼβ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας καὶ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔσται τέλος

34Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

34Εἶπεν δὲ Μαριὰμ πρὸς τὸν ἄγγελον Πῶς ἔσται τοῦτο ἐπεὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω

35The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.

35Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ἄγγελος εἶπεν αὐτῇ Πνεῦμα Ἅγιον ἐπελεύσεται ἐπὶ σέ καὶ δύναμις Ὑψίστου ἐπισκιάσει σοι διὸ καὶ τὸ γεννώμενον ἅγιον κληθήσεται Υἱὸς Θεοῦ

36What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.

36καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἐλισάβετ ἡ συγγενίς σου καὶ αὐτὴ συνείληφεν υἱὸν ἐν γήρει αὐτῆς καὶ οὗτος μὴν ἕκτος ἐστὶν αὐτῇ τῇ καλουμένῃ στείρᾳ

37For the word of God will never fail. ”

37ὅτι οὐκ ἀδυνατήσει παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ πᾶν ῥῆμα

38Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Mary Visits Elizabeth

38Εἶπεν δὲ Μαριάμ Ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη Κυρίου γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτῆς ὁ ἄγγελος

39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town

39Ἀναστᾶσα δὲ Μαριὰμ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταύταις ἐπορεύθη εἰς τὴν ὀρεινὴν μετὰ σπουδῆς εἰς πόλιν Ἰούδα

40where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.

40καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον Ζαχαρίου καὶ ἠσπάσατο τὴν Ἐλισάβετ

41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

41καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν τὸν ἀσπασμὸν τῆς Μαρίας ἡ Ἐλισάβετ ἐσκίρτησεν τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπλήσθη Πνεύματος Ἁγίου ἡ Ἐλισάβετ

42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.

42καὶ ἀνεφώνησεν κραυγῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ εἶπεν Εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξίν καὶ εὐλογημένος ὁ καρπὸς τῆς κοιλίας σου

43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?

43καὶ πόθεν μοι τοῦτο ἵνα ἔλθῃ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Κυρίου μου πρὸς ἐμέ

44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

44ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὡς ἐγένετο ἡ φωνὴ τοῦ ἀσπασμοῦ σου εἰς τὰ ὦτά μου ἐσκίρτησεν ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει τὸ βρέφος ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ μου

45You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise

45καὶ μακαρία ἡ πιστεύσασα ὅτι ἔσται τελείωσις τοῖς λελαλημένοις αὐτῇ παρὰ Κυρίου

46Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

46Καὶ εἶπεν Μαριάμ Μεγαλύνει ἡ ψυχή μου τὸν Κύριον

47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

47καὶ ἠγαλλίασεν τὸ πνεῦμά μου ἐπὶ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ Σωτῆρί μου

48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

48ὅτι ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ τὴν ταπείνωσιν τῆς δούλης αὐτοῦ ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν μακαριοῦσίν με πᾶσαι αἱ γενεαί

49For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.

49ὅτι ἐποίησέν μοι μεγάλα ὁ δυνατός καὶ ἅγιον τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ

50He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.

50καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν

51His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.

51Ἐποίησεν κράτος ἐν βραχίονι αὐτοῦ διεσκόρπισεν ὑπερηφάνους διανοίᾳ καρδίας αὐτῶν

52He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.

52καθεῖλεν δυνάστας ἀπὸ θρόνων καὶ ὕψωσεν ταπεινούς

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

53πεινῶντας ἐνέπλησεν ἀγαθῶν καὶ πλουτοῦντας ἐξαπέστειλεν κενούς

54He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.

54ἀντελάβετο Ἰσραὴλ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ μνησθῆναι ἐλέους

55For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

55καθὼς ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν τῷ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home. The Birth of John the Baptist

56Ἔμεινεν δὲ Μαριὰμ σὺν αὐτῇ ὡς μῆνας τρεῖς καὶ ὑπέστρεψεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς

57When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.

57Τῇ δὲ Ἐλισάβετ ἐπλήσθη ὁ χρόνος τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτήν καὶ ἐγέννησεν υἱόν

58And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

58καὶ ἤκουσαν οἱ περίοικοι καὶ οἱ συγγενεῖς αὐτῆς ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνεν Κύριος τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ μετ’ αὐτῆς καὶ συνέχαιρον αὐτῇ

59When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father.

59Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἦλθον περιτεμεῖν τὸ παιδίον καὶ ἐκάλουν αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ Ζαχαρίαν

60But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

60καὶ ἀποκριθεῖσα ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ εἶπεν Οὐχί ἀλλὰ κληθήσεται Ἰωάννης

61“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.”

61Καὶ εἶπαν πρὸς αὐτὴν ὅτι Οὐδείς ἐστιν ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας σου ὃς καλεῖται τῷ ὀνόματι τούτῳ

62So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him.

62ἐνένευον δὲ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ τὸ τί ἂν θέλοι καλεῖσθαι αὐτό

63He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.”

63Καὶ αἰτήσας πινακίδιον ἔγραψεν λέγων Ἰωάννης ἐστὶν ὄνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐθαύμασαν πάντες

64Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

64ἀνεῴχθη δὲ τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ παραχρῆμα καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐλάλει εὐλογῶν τὸν Θεόν

65Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.

65Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐπὶ πάντας φόβος τοὺς περιοικοῦντας αὐτούς καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ὀρεινῇ τῆς Ἰουδαίας διελαλεῖτο πάντα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα

66Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. Zechariah’s Prophecy

66καὶ ἔθεντο πάντες οἱ ἀκούσαντες ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν λέγοντες Τί ἄρα τὸ παιδίον τοῦτο ἔσται καὶ γὰρ χεὶρ Κυρίου ἦν μετ’ αὐτοῦ

67Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

67Καὶ Ζαχαρίας ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ἐπλήσθη Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ ἐπροφήτευσεν λέγων

68“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.

68Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ ὅτι ἐπεσκέψατο καὶ ἐποίησεν λύτρωσιν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ

69He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David,

69καὶ ἤγειρεν κέρας σωτηρίας ἡμῖν ἐν οἴκῳ Δαυὶδ παιδὸς αὐτοῦ

70just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.

70καθὼς ἐλάλησεν διὰ στόματος τῶν ἁγίων ἀπ’ αἰῶνος προφητῶν αὐτοῦ

71Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.

71σωτηρίαν ἐξ ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν καὶ ἐκ χειρὸς πάντων τῶν μισούντων ἡμᾶς

72He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant—

72ποιῆσαι ἔλεος μετὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν καὶ μνησθῆναι διαθήκης ἁγίας αὐτοῦ

73the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.

73ὅρκον ὃν ὤμοσεν πρὸς Ἀβραὰμ τὸν πατέρα ἡμῶν τοῦ δοῦναι ἡμῖν

74We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear,

74ἀφόβως ἐκ χειρὸς ἐχθρῶν ῥυσθέντας λατρεύειν αὐτῷ

75in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.

75ἐν ὁσιότητι καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ πάσαις ταῖς ἡμέραις ἡμῶν

76“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.

76Καὶ σὺ δέ παιδίον προφήτης Ὑψίστου κληθήσῃ προπορεύσῃ γὰρ ἐνώπιον Κυρίου ἑτοιμάσαι ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ

77You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.

77τοῦ δοῦναι γνῶσιν σωτηρίας τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἀφέσει ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν

78Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,

78διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐν οἷς ἐπισκέψεται ἡμᾶς ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους

79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”

79ἐπιφᾶναι τοῖς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένοις τοῦ κατευθῦναι τοὺς πόδας ἡμῶν εἰς ὁδὸν εἰρήνης

80John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

80Τὸ δὲ παιδίον ηὔξανεν καὶ ἐκραταιοῦτο πνεύματι καὶ ἦν ἐν ταῖς ἐρήμοις ἕως ἡμέρας ἀναδείξεως αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν Ἰσραήλ

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.