路加福音 1
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Traditional)
路加自序
1 提阿非羅大人哪，有好些人提筆作書，述說在我們中間所成就的事，是照傳道的人從起初親眼看見又傳給我們的。 3 這些事我既從起頭都詳細考察了，就定意要按著次序寫給你， 4 使你知道所學之道都是確實的。
5 當猶太王希律的時候，亞比雅班裡有一個祭司，名叫撒迦利亞。他妻子是亞倫的後人，名叫伊利莎白。 6 他們二人在神面前都是義人，遵行主的一切誡命禮儀，沒有可指摘的。 7 只是沒有孩子，因為伊利莎白不生育，兩個人又年紀老邁了。
預言施洗約翰的生
8 撒迦利亞按班次在神面前供祭司的職分， 9 照祭司的規矩掣籤，得進主殿燒香。 10 燒香的時候，眾百姓在外面禱告。 11 有主的使者站在香壇的右邊向他顯現。 12 撒迦利亞看見，就驚慌害怕。 13 天使對他說：「撒迦利亞，不要害怕，因為你的祈禱已經被聽見了。你的妻子伊利莎白要給你生一個兒子，你要給他起名叫約翰。 14 你必歡喜快樂，有許多人因他出世也必喜樂。 15 他在主面前將要為大，淡酒濃酒都不喝，從母腹裡就被聖靈充滿了。 16 他要使許多以色列人回轉，歸於主他們的神。 17 他必有以利亞的心志能力，行在主的前面，叫為父的心轉向兒女，叫悖逆的人轉從義人的智慧，又為主預備合用的百姓。」 18 撒迦利亞對天使說：「我憑著什麼可知道這事呢？我已經老了，我的妻子也年紀老邁了。」 19 天使回答說：「我是站在神面前的加百列，奉差而來對你說話，將這好信息報給你。 20 到了時候，這話必然應驗。只因你不信，你必啞巴，不能說話，直到這事成就的日子。」 21 百姓等候撒迦利亞，詫異他許久在殿裡。 22 及至他出來，不能和他們說話，他們就知道他在殿裡見了異象，因為他直向他們打手勢，竟成了啞巴。 23 他供職的日子已滿，就回家去了。
24 這些日子以後，他的妻子伊利莎白懷了孕，就隱藏了五個月， 25 說：「主在眷顧我的日子這樣看待我，要把我在人間的羞恥除掉。」
加百列預言耶穌的生
26 到了第六個月，天使加百列奉神的差遣往加利利的一座城去，這城名叫拿撒勒； 27 到一個童女那裡，是已經許配大衛家的一個人，名叫約瑟，童女的名字叫馬利亞。 28 天使進去，對她說：「蒙大恩的女子，我問你安，主和你同在了！」 29 馬利亞因這話就很驚慌，又反覆思想這樣問安是什麼意思。 30 天使對她說：「馬利亞，不要怕，你在神面前已經蒙恩了。 31 你要懷孕生子，可以給他起名叫耶穌。 32 他要為大，稱為至高者的兒子；主神要把他祖大衛的位給他， 33 他要做雅各家的王，直到永遠；他的國也沒有窮盡。」 34 馬利亞對天使說：「我沒有出嫁，怎麼有這事呢？」 35 天使回答說：「聖靈要臨到你身上，至高者的能力要蔭庇你。因此，所要生的聖者必稱為神的兒子[a]。 36 況且你的親戚伊利莎白，在年老的時候也懷了男胎，就是那素來稱為不生育的，現在有孕六個月了。 37 因為出於神的話，沒有一句不帶能力的。」 38 馬利亞說：「我是主的使女，情願照你的話成就在我身上！」天使就離開她去了。
馬利亞往看伊利莎白
39 那時候，馬利亞起身急忙往山地裡去，來到猶大的一座城， 40 進了撒迦利亞的家，問伊利莎白安。 41 伊利莎白一聽馬利亞問安，所懷的胎就在腹裡跳動，伊利莎白且被聖靈充滿， 42 高聲喊著說：「你在婦女中是有福的！你所懷的胎也是有福的！ 43 我主的母到我這裡來，這是從哪裡得的呢？ 44 因為你問安的聲音一入我耳，我腹裡的胎就歡喜跳動。 45 這相信的女子是有福的！因為主對她所說的話都要應驗。」
馬利亞尊主為大
46 馬利亞說：「我心尊主為大， 47 我靈以神我的救主為樂， 48 因為他顧念他使女的卑微。從今以後，萬代要稱我有福， 49 那有權能的為我成就了大事，他的名為聖！ 50 他憐憫敬畏他的人，直到世世代代。 51 他用膀臂施展大能，那狂傲的人正心裡妄想就被他趕散了。 52 他叫有權柄的失位，叫卑賤的升高； 53 叫飢餓的得飽美食，叫富足的空手回去。 54 他扶助了他的僕人以色列， 55 為要記念亞伯拉罕和他的後裔，施憐憫直到永遠，正如從前對我們列祖所說的話。」
56 馬利亞和伊利莎白同住約有三個月，就回家去了。
給施洗約翰起名
57 伊利莎白的產期到了，就生了一個兒子。 58 鄰里親族聽見主向她大施憐憫，就和她一同歡樂。 59 到了第八日，他們來要給孩子行割禮，並要照他父親的名字叫他撒迦利亞。 60 他母親說：「不可，要叫他約翰。」 61 他們說：「你親族中沒有叫這名字的。」 62 他們就向他父親打手勢，問他要叫這孩子什麼名字。 63 他要了一塊寫字的板，就寫上說：「他的名字是約翰。」他們便都稀奇。 64 撒迦利亞的口立時開了，舌頭也舒展了，就說出話來，稱頌神。 65 周圍居住的人都懼怕。這一切的事就傳遍了猶太的山地。 66 凡聽見的人都將這事放在心裡，說：「這個孩子將來怎麼樣呢？」因為有主與他同在。
預言救恩臨到以色列人
67 他父親撒迦利亞被聖靈充滿了，就預言說： 68 「主以色列的神是應當稱頌的！因他眷顧他的百姓，為他們施行救贖， 69 在他僕人大衛家中，為我們興起了拯救的角， 70 正如主藉著從創世以來聖先知的口所說的話， 71 拯救我們脫離仇敵和一切恨我們之人的手； 72 向我們列祖施憐憫、記念他的聖約， 73 就是他對我們祖宗亞伯拉罕所起的誓， 74 叫我們既從仇敵手中被救出來， 75 就可以終身在他面前，坦然無懼地用聖潔、公義侍奉他。 76 孩子啊，你要稱為至高者的先知，因為你要行在主的前面，預備他的道路， 77 叫他的百姓因罪得赦就知道救恩。 78 因我們神憐憫的心腸，叫清晨的日光從高天臨到我們， 79 要照亮坐在黑暗中死蔭裡的人，把我們的腳引到平安的路上。」
80 那孩子漸漸長大，心靈強健，住在曠野，直到他顯明在以色列人面前的日子。
Footnotes
- 路加福音 1:35 或作：所要生的必稱為聖，稱為神的兒子。
Luke 1
International Children’s Bible
Luke Writes About Jesus’ Life
1 To Theophilus:
Many have tried to give a history of the things that happened among us. 2 They have written the same things that we learned from others—the people who saw those things from the beginning and served God by telling people his message. 3 I myself studied everything carefully from the beginning, your Excellency.[a] I thought I should write it out for you. So I put it in order in a book. 4 I write these things so that you can know that what you have been taught is true.
Zechariah and Elizabeth
5 During the time Herod ruled Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. He belonged to Abijah’s group.[b] Zechariah’s wife came from the family of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth truly did what God said was good. They did everything the Lord commanded and told people to do. They were without fault in keeping his law. 7 But Zechariah and Elizabeth had no children. Elizabeth could not have a baby; and both of them were very old.
8 Zechariah was serving as a priest before God for his group. It was his group’s time to serve. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he was chosen to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 There were a great many people outside praying at the time the incense was offered. 11 Then, on the right side of the incense table, an angel of the Lord came and stood before Zechariah. 12 When he saw the angel, Zechariah was confused and frightened. 13 But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, don’t be afraid. Your prayer has been heard by God. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son. You will name him John. 14 You will be very happy. Many people will be happy because of his birth. 15 John will be a great man for the Lord. He will never drink wine or beer. Even at the time John is born, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. 16 He will help many people of Israel return to the Lord their God. 17 He himself will go first before the Lord. John will be powerful in spirit like Elijah. He will make peace between fathers and their children. He will bring those who are not obeying God back to the right way of thinking. He will make people ready for the coming of the Lord.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that what you say is true? I am an old man, and my wife is old, too.”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand before God. God sent me to talk to you and to tell you this good news. 20 Now, listen! You will not be able to talk until the day these things happen. You will lose your speech because you did not believe what I told you. But these things will really happen.”
21 Outside, the people were still waiting for Zechariah. They were surprised that he was staying so long in the Temple. 22 Then Zechariah came outside, but he could not speak to them. So they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple. Zechariah could not speak. He could only make signs to them. 23 When his time of service as a priest was finished, he went home.
24 Later, Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant. She did not go out of her house for five months. Elizabeth said, 25 “Look what the Lord has done for me! My people were ashamed[c] of me, but now the Lord has taken away that shame.”
The Virgin Mary
26-27 During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to a virgin who lived in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you.”
29 But Mary was very confused by what the angel said. Mary wondered, “What does this mean?”
30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, because God is pleased with you. 31 Listen! You will become pregnant. You will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great, and people will call him the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor. 33 He will rule over the people of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen? I am a virgin!”
35 The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. The baby will be holy. He will be called the Son of God. 36 Now listen! Elizabeth, your relative, is very old. But she is also pregnant with a son. Everyone thought she could not have a baby, but she has been pregnant for six months. 37 God can do everything!”
38 Mary said, “I am the servant girl of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!” Then the angel went away.
Mary’s Visit
39 Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the mountains of Judea. 40 She went to Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby inside Elizabeth jumped. Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She cried out in a loud voice, “God has blessed you more than any other woman. And God has blessed the baby which you will give birth to. 43 You are the mother of my Lord, and you have come to me! Why has something so good happened to me? 44 When I heard your voice, the baby inside me jumped with joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed what the Lord said to you would really happen.”
Mary Praises God
46 Then Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord;
47 my heart is happy because God is my Savior.
48 I am not important, but God has shown his care for me, his servant girl.
From now on, all people will say that I am blessed,
49 because the Powerful One has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50 God will always give mercy
to those who worship him.
51 God’s arm is strong.
He scatters the people who are proud
and think great things about themselves.
52 God brings down rulers from their thrones,
and he raises up the humble.
53 God fills the hungry with good things,
but he sends the rich away with nothing.
54 God has helped his people Israel who serve him.
He gave them his mercy.
55 God has done what he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his children forever.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The Birth of John
57 When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth, she had a boy. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how good the Lord was to her, and they rejoiced.
59 When the baby was eight days old, they came to circumcise him. They wanted to name him Zechariah because this was his father’s name. 60 But his mother said, “No! He will be named John.”
61 The people said to Elizabeth, “But no one in your family has this name!” 62 Then they made signs to his father, “What would you like to name him?”
63 Zechariah asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was surprised. 64 Then Zechariah could talk again. He began to praise God. 65 And all their neighbors became alarmed. In all the mountains of Judea people continued talking about all these things. 66 The people who heard about these things wondered about them. They thought, “What will this child be?” They said this because the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises God
67 Then Zechariah, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit. He told the people what would happen:
68 “Let us thank the Lord, the God of Israel.
God has come to help his people and has given them freedom.
69 God has given us a powerful Savior
from the family of God’s servant David.
70 God said that he would do this.
He said it through his holy prophets who lived long ago.
71 God will save us from our enemies
and from the power of all those who hate us.
72 God said he would give mercy to our ancestors.
And he remembered his holy promise.
73 God promised Abraham, our father,
74 that he would free us from the power of our enemies,
so that we could serve him without fear.
75 We will be righteous and holy before God as long as we live.
76 “Now you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.
You will go first before the Lord
to prepare the people for his coming.
77 You will make his people know that they will be saved.
They will be saved by having their sins forgiven.
78 With the loving mercy of our God,
a new day from heaven will shine upon us.
79 God will help those who live in darkness,
in the fear of death.
He will guide us into the path that goes toward peace.”
80 And so the child grew up and became strong in spirit. John lived away from other people until the time when he came out to preach to Israel.
Footnotes
- 1:3 Excellency This word was used to show respect to an important person like a king or ruler.
- 1:5 Abijah’s group The Jewish priests were divided into 24 groups. See 1 Chronicles 24.
- 1:25 ashamed The Jews thought it was a disgrace for women not to have children.
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
