Luke 1

Introduction

1 A lot of people have already tried to put together an account of what has been happening among us,

2 just like it was passed down by those who saw it firsthand and served the message from the beginning.

3 So I decided, after carefully checking everything from the start, to write it out for you in an orderly way, most excellent Theophilus,

4 so you can know for sure that what you have been taught is solid truth.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 Back in the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah from the division of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was also from Aaron’s line.

6 Both of them were righteous before God, walking right in all His commands.

7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth could not have one, and they were both getting up in age.

8 One day Zechariah was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty.

9 According to the custom, he was chosen by lot to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 While he was inside, a whole crowd was outside praying.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12 Zechariah saw him and got shook, fear hit him hard.

13 But the angel said, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John.

14 He will bring you joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15 He will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.

16 He will turn many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God.

17 He will go ahead of Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, turning hearts of fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the mindset of the righteous, getting people ready for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this, I am an old man, and my wife is up there in years too.”

19 The angel said, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and bring you this good news.

20 But since you did not believe my words, which will come true at the right time, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this happens.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, wondering why he was taking so long.

22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, because he kept making signs but could not talk.

23 When his time of service was done, he went back home.

24 After this, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and stayed in seclusion for five months.

25 She said, “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked on me with favor and taken away my disgrace among people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph from the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one. The Lord is with you.”

29 She was deeply troubled at what he said and kept thinking about what kind of greeting this was.

30 The angel said, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.

31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name Him Jesus.

32 He 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,

33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, His kingdom will never end.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “How is this is going to happen, since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the child born will be holy, He will be called the Son of God.

36 And your relative Elizabeth, she is pregnant too, even in her old age. This is her sixth month, the one people called barren.

37 Because nothing is impossible with God.”

38 Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it happen to me just like you said.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Around that time, Mary got up and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a town in Judah.

40 She entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 She shouted, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear.

43 Why am I so honored that the mother of my Lord comes to me,

44 As soon as your greeting hit my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

45 Blessed is she who believed that what the Lord spoke to her would be fulfilled.”

Mary’s Song

46 Mary said, “My soul lifts up the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 because He has looked at the humble state of His servant. From now on, all generations will call me blessed.

49 The Mighty One has done great things for me, holy is His name.

50 His mercy is for those who fear Him from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with His arm. He has scattered those who are proud in their thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones and lifted up the humble.

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

54 He has helped His servant Israel, remembering His mercy,

55 just like He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, then went back home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 When the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, she had a son.

58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they celebrated with her.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father.

60 But his mother said, “No, he will be called John.”

61 They said, “There is no one among your relatives with that name.”

62 So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called.

63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And everyone was surprised.

64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue was freed, and he began to speak, praising God.

65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the hill country of Judea.

66 Everyone who heard about it kept it in mind, saying, “What then will this child become?” Because the Lord’s hand was clearly on him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come to His people and redeemed them.

69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,

70 just like He spoke long ago through His holy prophets.

71 Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

72 to show mercy to our fathers and remember His holy covenant,

73 the oath He swore to Abraham our father,

74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies so we can serve Him without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, because you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,

77 to give His people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the sunrise from on high will visit us,

79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilderness until the time he appeared publicly to Israel.