1 Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. 2 They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. 3 So I made a careful study of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, 4 I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard.
An Angel Tells about the Birth of John
5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron. 6 Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. 7 But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old.
8 One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense, 10 while the people stood outside praying.
11 All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12 Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13 But the angel told him:
Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14 His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. 15 Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.
16 John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. This is how John will get people ready for the Lord.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.”
19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, God's servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news. 20 You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to.”
21 The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying in the temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing.
23 When Zechariah's time of service in the temple was over, he went home. 24 Soon after this, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself, 25 “What the Lord has done for me will keep people from looking down on me.”
An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus
26 One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee 27 with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. 28 The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. 30 Then the angel told Mary, “Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, 31 and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. 33 He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not even married!”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. 36 Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37 Nothing is impossible for God!”
38 Mary said, “I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42 Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:
God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43 Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Mary's Song of Praise
46 Mary said:
With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
47 and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
48 God cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
49 God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
50 He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
51 The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
52 God drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
53 God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
54 God helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
to his people.
55 The Lord made this promise
to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
forever!
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When Elizabeth's son was born, 58 her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad.
59 Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands. They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.”
61 The people argued, “No one in your family has ever been named John.” 62 So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 At once, Zechariah started speaking and praising God.
65 All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things. 66 Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises the Lord
67 The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:
68 Praise the Lord,
the God of Israel!
He has come
to save his people.
69 Our God has given us
a mighty Savior
from the family
of David his servant.
70 Long ago the Lord promised
by the words
of his holy prophets
71 to save us from our enemies
and from everyone
who hates us.
72 God said he would be kind
to our people and keep
his sacred promise.
73 He told our ancestor Abraham
74 that he would rescue us
from our enemies.
Then we could serve him
without fear,
75 by being holy and good
as long as we live.
76 You, my son, will be called
the prophet of God Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to get everything ready
for him.
77 You will tell his people
that they can be saved
when their sins
are forgiven.
78 God's love and kindness
will shine upon us
like the sun that rises
in the sky.
79 On us who live
in the dark shadow
of death
this light will shine
to guide us
into a life of peace.
80 As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel.
1 Forasmuch as many haue taken in hand to set foorth the storie of those things, whereof we are fully persuaded, 2 As they haue deliuered them vnto vs, which from the beginning saw them their selues, and were ministers of ye word, 3 It seemed good also to me (most noble Theophilus) assoone as I had searched out perfectly all things from the beginning, to write vnto thee thereof from point to point, 4 That thou mightest acknowledge the certaintie of those things, whereof thou hast bene instructed. 5 In the time of Herod King of Iudea, there was a certaine Priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabet. 6 Both were iust before God, and walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord, without reproofe. 7 And they had no childe, because that Elisabet was barren: and both were well stricken in age. 8 And it came to passe, as he executed the Priestes office before God, as his course came in order, 9 According to the custome of the Priests office, his lot was to burne incense, when he went into the Temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were without in prayer, while the incense was burning. 11 Then appeared vnto him an Angel of the Lord standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias sawe him, he was troubled, and feare fell vpon him. 13 But the Angel saide vnto him, Feare not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard, and thy wise Elisabet shall beare thee a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iohn. 14 And thou shalt haue ioy and gladnes, and many shall reioyce at his birth. 15 For he shalbe great in the sight of the Lord, and shall neither drinke wine, nor strong drinke: and he shalbe filled with the holy Ghost, euen from his mothers wombe. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turne to their Lord God. 17 For he shall goe before him in the spirite and power of Elias, to turne the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisedome of the iust men, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 Then Zacharias said vnto ye Angel, Whereby shall I knowe this? for I am an olde man, and my wife is of a great age. 19 And the Angell answered, and sayde vnto him, I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speake vnto thee, and to shew thee these good tidings. 20 And beholde, thou shalt be domme, and not be able to speake, vntill the day that these things be done, because thou beleeuedst not my words, which shalbe fulfilled in their season. 21 Now the people waited for Zacharias, and marueiled that he taried so long in the Temple. 22 And when hee came out, hee coulde not speake vnto them: then they perceiued that hee had seene a vision in the Temple: For he made signes vnto them, and remained domme. 23 And it came to passe, when the daies of his office were fulfilled, that he departed to his owne house. 24 And after those daies, his wife Elisabet conceiued, and hid her selfe fiue moneths, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, in the daies wherein he looked on me, to take from me my rebuke among men. 26 And in the sixth moneth, the Angell Gabriel was sent from God vnto a citie of Galile, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin affianced to a man whose name was Ioseph, of the house of Dauid, and the virgins name was Marie. 28 And the Angel went in vnto her, and said, Haile thou that art freely beloued: the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and thought what maner of salutation that should be. 30 Then the Angel saide vnto her, Feare not, Marie: for thou hast found fauour with God. 31 For loe, thou shalt conceiue in thy wobe, and beare a sonne, and shalt call his name Iesus. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Sonne of the most High, and the Lord God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid. 33 And hee shall reigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer, and of his kingdome shall bee none ende. 34 Then sayde Marie vnto the Angel, How shall this be, seeing I knowe not man? 35 And the Angel answered, and said vnto her, The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee, and the power of the most High shall ouershadowe thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall bee borne of thee, shall be called the Sonne of God. 36 And behold, thy cousin Elisabet, she hath also conceiued a sonne in her olde age: and this is her sixt moneth, which was called barren. 37 For with God shall nothing be vnpossible. 38 Then Marie said, Behold the seruant of the Lord: be it vnto me according to thy woorde. So the Angel departed from her. 39 And Marie arose in those daies, and went into ye hil countrey with hast to a citie of Iuda, 40 And entred into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabet. 41 And it came to passe, as Elisabet heard the salutation of Marie, the babe sprang in her bellie, and Elisabet was filled with the holy Ghost. 42 And she cried with a loud voice, and saide, Blessed art thou among women, because the fruit of thy wombe is blessed. 43 And whence commeth this to mee, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For loe, assoone as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine eares, the babe sprang in my bellie for ioye, 45 And blessed is shee that beleeued: for those things shall be perfourmed, which were tolde her from the Lord. 46 Then Marie sayde, My soule magnifieth the Lord, 47 And my spirite reioyceth in God my Sauiour. 48 For hee hath looked on the poore degree of his seruaunt: for beholde, from henceforth shall all ages call me blessed, 49 Because hee that is mightie, hath done for me great things, and holy is his Name. 50 And his mercie is from generation to generation on them that feare him. 51 Hee hath shewed strength with his arme: hee hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their hearts. 52 Hee hath put downe the mighty from their seates, and exalted them of lowe degree. 53 Hee hath filled the hungrie with good things, and sent away the rich emptie. 54 Hee hath vpholden Israel his seruaunt to be mindefull of his mercie 55 (As hee hath spoken to our fathers, to wit, to Abraham, and his seede) for euer. 56 And Marie abode with her about three moneths: after, shee returned to her owne house. 57 Nowe Elisabets time was fulfilled, that shee should be deliuered, and shee brought foorth a sonne. 58 And her neighbours, and cousins heard tell howe the Lord had shewed his great mercie vpon her, and they reioyced with her. 59 And it was so that on the eight day they came to circumcise the babe, and called him Zacharias after the name of his father. 60 But his mother answered, and saide, Not so, but he shalbe called Iohn. 61 And they saide vnto her, There is none of thy kindred, that is named with this name. 62 Then they made signes to his father, howe he would haue him called. 63 So hee asked for writing tables, and wrote, saying, His name is Iohn, and they marueiled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he spake and praised God. 65 Then feare came on all them that dwelt neere vnto them, and all these woordes were noised abroade throughout all the hill countrey of Iudea. 66 And al they that heard them, laid them vp in their hearts, saying, What maner childe shall this be! and the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 Then his father Zacharias was filled with the holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised vp the horne of saluation vnto vs, in the house of his seruant Dauid, 70 As he spake by ye mouth of his holy Prophets, which were since the world began, saying, 71 That he would sende vs deliuerance from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate vs, 72 That he might shewe mercie towards our fathers, and remember his holy couenant, 73 And the othe which he sware to our father Abraham. 74 Which was, that he would graunt vnto vs, that we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies, should serue him without feare, 75 All the daies of our life, in holinesse and righteousnesse before him. 76 And thou, babe, shalt be called the Prophet of the most High: for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord, to prepare his waies, 77 And to giue knowledge of saluation vnto his people, by the remission of their sinnes, 78 Through ye tender mercy of our God, wherby the day spring from an hie hath visited vs, 79 To giue light to them that sit in darknes, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feete into the way of peace. 80 And the childe grewe, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the wildernesse, til the day came that he should shewe him selfe vnto Israel.