Dedication to Theophilus

1Since many have attempted to arrange a narrative about the matters which have taken place among us,

2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,

3it seemed good to me also, having followed up accurately all things from above, to write to you in orderly fashion, most distinguished Theophilus,

4so that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

8So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was selected to burn incense when he entered into the temple of the Lord.

10And all the multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

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

12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your prayer has been heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear a son to you, and you shall call his name John.

14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15For he shall be great before the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, while still in his mother's womb.

16And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.

17And he himself 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 righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

19And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to proclaim the good news to you of these things.

20But behold, you shall be silent and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which shall be fulfilled in their season.”

21And the people waited for Zacharias, and they marveled at his delaying in the temple.

22But having come out, he was unable to speak to them; and they recognized that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he was making signs to them and remained speechless.

23And it happened, as soon as the days of his service were fulfilled, that he went away to his house.

24Now after those days Elizabeth his wife conceived; and stayed in seclusion five months, saying,

25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

27to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

28And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

29But when she saw him, she was greatly perplexed by his saying, and she wondered what sort of greeting this was.

30Then the angel said to her, “Do not fear, Mary, for you have found grace with God.

31And behold, you shall conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS.

32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David.

33And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”

34Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

35And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you; therefore, also, that holy child which is to be born shall be called the Son of God.

36And behold, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for she who was called barren.

37For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

38Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! May it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39Now Mary rose up in those days and traveled into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,

40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.

41And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43And why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For behold, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby leaped for joy in my womb.

45And blessed is she who has believed, because there shall be a fulfillment to the things having been spoken to her from the Lord.”

The Song of Mary

46And Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

48Because He looked upon the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

49For He that is mighty has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.

50And His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.

51He has shown strength with His arm;
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52He has overthrown the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.

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

54He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,

55As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed forever.”

56And Mary remained with her about three months, and she returned to her house.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she bore a son.

58And when her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.

59Now it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they started to call him by the name of his father, Zacharias.

60His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”

61But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”

62So they made signs to his father about what he wished him to be called.

63And asking for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, “His name is John.” And they all marveled.

64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he started to speak, praising God.

65Then fear came on all who lived around them; and all these things were being talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.

66And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he prophesied, saying,

68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and redeemed His people,

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

70As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been since the world began,

71That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,

72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,

73The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:

74To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,

75In holiness and righteousness before Him
All the days of our life.

76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go before the face of the Lord
To prepare His ways,

77To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,

78Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;

79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.