1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[1] among us,2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.3With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
The birth of John the Baptist foretold
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.7But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshippers were praying outside.11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.13But the angel said to him: ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.16He will bring back 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 parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’18Zechariah asked the angel, ‘How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well on in years.’19The angel said to him, ‘I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.’21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realised he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.23When his time of service was completed, he returned home.24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.25‘The Lord has done this for me,’ she said. ‘In these days he has shown his favour and taken away my disgrace among the people.’
The birth of Jesus foretold
26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.28The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.’29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.30But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God.31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call 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,33and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants for ever; his kingdom will never end.’34‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’35The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[2] the Son of God.36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.37For no word from God will ever fail.’38‘I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May your word to me be fulfilled.’ Then the angel left her.
Mary visits Elizabeth
39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.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 child you will bear!43But why am I so favoured, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?44As soon as 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 would fulfil his promises to her!’
Mary’s song
46And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord47and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,49for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is his name.50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful55to Abraham and his descendants for ever, just as he promised our ancestors.’56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The birth of John the Baptist
57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.58Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,60but his mother spoke up and said, ‘No! He is to be called John.’61They said to her, ‘There is no-one among your relatives who has that name.’62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, ‘His name is John.’64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.65All the neighbours were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, ‘What then is this child going to be?’ For the Lord’s hand was with him.
Zechariah’s song
67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:68‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.69He has raised up a horn[3] of salvation for us in the house of his servant David70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us –72to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,73the oath he swore to our father Abraham:74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,77to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.’80And the child grew and became strong in spirit[4]; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,[1] of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. (1Ch 24:10; Mt 2:1; Lu 1:8)6And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. (Lu 2:25; Ac 23:1; Ac 24:16; Php 2:15; Php 3:6; 1Th 2:10; 1Th 3:13; 1Th 5:23)7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. (Ge 18:11; Jud 13:2; 1Sa 1:2; Lu 1:36; Heb 11:11)8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, (1Ch 24:19; 2Ch 8:14; 2Ch 31:2; Lu 1:5; Lu 1:23)9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. (Ex 30:7; 1Sa 2:28; 1Ch 23:13; 2Ch 29:11; Lu 1:21; Heb 9:2; Re 11:2; Re 11:19)10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. (Le 16:17; Ps 141:2; Re 5:8; Re 8:3)11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. (Ex 30:1; Ex 40:26)12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. (Ac 19:17)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, and you shall call his name John. (Lu 1:60; Lu 1:63; Ac 10:4; Ac 10:31)14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, (Lu 1:58)15for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. (Nu 6:3; Jud 13:4; Jud 13:7; Jud 13:14; Isa 49:1; Isa 49:5; Jer 1:5; Mt 11:11; Mt 11:18; Lu 1:41; Lu 1:67; Lu 7:28; Lu 7:33; Ac 2:4; Ac 2:15; Ac 2:17; Ga 1:15; Eph 5:18)16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,17and he will 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 just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” (Mal 3:1; Mal 4:6; Mt 11:10; Mt 11:14; Mr 1:2; Lu 1:76; Lu 7:27; Joh 3:28; Ro 10:21)18And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” (Ge 15:8; Ge 17:17)19And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. (1Ki 17:1; Job 1:6; Isa 63:9; Da 8:16; Da 9:21; Mt 18:10; Lu 1:26; Re 8:2)20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” (Eze 3:26; Eze 24:27)21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. (Lu 1:9)22And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. (Lu 1:21; Lu 1:62)23And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. (2Ki 11:5; 1Ch 9:25; 2Ch 23:8; Lu 1:8; Heb 10:11)24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,25“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” (Ge 30:23; 1Sa 1:6; Ps 113:9; Isa 4:1)
Birth of Jesus Foretold
26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, (Mt 2:23; Lu 1:19)27to a virgin betrothed[2] to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. (Mt 1:16; Mt 1:18; Mt 1:20; Lu 2:4)28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”[3] (Jud 6:12; Ps 45:2; Da 9:23)29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. (Lu 1:12)30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. (Ac 7:46)31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. (Isa 7:14; Mt 1:21; Mt 1:25; Lu 2:21)32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, (2Sa 7:11; 2Sa 7:16; Ps 89:4; Ps 132:11; Isa 9:6; Isa 16:5; Mt 1:1; Mr 5:7; Lu 1:69; Lu 1:76; Lu 6:35; Ac 2:30; Ac 7:48; Re 3:7)33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Da 2:44; Da 7:14; Da 7:18; Da 7:27; Joh 12:34; Heb 1:8; Re 11:15)34And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[4]35And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[5] will be called holy—the Son of God. (Mt 1:18; Mt 1:20; Mt 14:33; Lu 1:32; Joh 6:69)36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. (Lu 1:7)37For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Ge 18:14; Mt 19:26)38And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[6] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. (Jud 6:21; Ac 12:10)
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, (Jos 20:7; Jos 21:11; Lu 1:65)40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, (Lu 1:15; Lu 1:67)42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! (De 28:4; Jud 5:24; Ps 127:3)43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (Lu 2:11; Lu 20:42; Joh 20:28)44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.45And blessed is she who believed that there would be[7] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (Lu 1:20; Joh 20:29)
57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. (Ge 19:19)59And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, (Ge 17:12; Le 12:3; Lu 2:21; Php 3:5)60but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” (Lu 1:13)61And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”62And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. (Lu 1:22)63And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered. (Isa 8:1; Isa 30:8; Lu 1:60)64And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. (Mr 7:35; Lu 1:20; Lu 2:28; Lu 24:53)65And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, (Lu 1:39; Lu 7:16)66and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him. (Lu 2:19; Lu 2:51; Ac 11:21; Ac 13:11)