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Dear Theophilos:

Concerning the matters that have taken place among us, many people have undertaken to draw up accounts based on what was handed down to us by those who from the start were eyewitnesses and proclaimers of the message. Therefore, Your Excellency, since I have carefully investigated all these things from the beginning, it seemed good to me that I too should write you an accurate and ordered narrative, so that you might know how well-founded are the things about which you have been taught.

In the days of Herod, King of Y’hudah, there was a cohen named Z’kharyah who belonged to the Aviyah division. His wife was a descendant of Aharon, and her name was Elisheva. Both of them were righteous before God, observing all the mitzvot and ordinances of Adonai blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elisheva was barren; and they were both well along in years.

One time, when Z’kharyah was fulfilling his duties as cohen during his division’s period of service before God, he was chosen by lot (according to the custom among the cohanim) to enter the Temple and burn incense. 10 All the people were outside, praying, at the time of the incense burning, 11 when there appeared to him an angel of Adonai standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Z’kharyah was startled and terrified at the sight. 13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Z’kharyah; because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elisheva will bear you a son, and you are to name him Yochanan. 14 He will be a joy and a delight to you, and many people will rejoice when he is born, 15 for he will be great in the sight of Adonai. He is never to drink wine or other liquor, and he will be filled with the Ruach HaKodesh even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the people of Isra’el to Adonai their God. 17 He will go out ahead of Adonai in the spirit and power of Eliyahu to turn the hearts of fathers to their children[a] and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready for Adonai a people prepared.”

18 Z’kharyah said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man; my wife too is well on in years.” 19 “I am Gavri’el,” the angel answered him, “and I stand in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, to give you this good news. 20 Now, because you didn’t believe what I said, which will be fulfilled when the time comes, you will be silent, unable to speak until the day these things take place.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Z’kharyah; they were surprised at his taking so long in the Temple. 22 But when he came out unable to talk to them, they realized that he had seen a vision in the Temple; speechless, he communicated to them with signs.

23 When his period of his Temple service was over, he returned home. 24 Following this, Elisheva his wife conceived, and she remained five months in seclusion, saying, 25 Adonai has done this for me; he has shown me favor at this time, so as to remove my public disgrace.”

26 In the sixth month, the angel Gavri’el was sent by God to a city in the Galil called Natzeret, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man named Yosef, of the house of David; the virgin’s name was Miryam. 28 Approaching her, the angel said, “Shalom, favored lady! Adonai is with you!” 29 She was deeply troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Miryam, for you have found favor with God. 31 Look! You will become pregnant, you will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Yeshua. 32 He will be great, he will be called Son of Ha‘Elyon. Adonai, God, will give him the throne of his forefather David; 33 and he will rule the House of Ya‘akov forever — there will be no end to his Kingdom.” 34 “How can this be,” asked Miryam of the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered her,

“The Ruach HaKodesh will come over you,
the power of Ha‘Elyon will cover you.
Therefore the holy child born to you
will be called the Son of God.

36 “You have a relative, Elisheva, who is an old woman; and everyone says she is barren. But she has conceived a son and is six months pregnant! 37 For with God, nothing is impossible.” 38 Miryam said, “I am the servant of Adonai; may it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,

“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!

43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Indeed you are blessed, because you have trusted that the promise Adonai has made to you will be fulfilled.”

46 Then Miryam said,

“My soul magnifies Adonai;
47     and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
    in her humble position.[b]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49     “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
    he has mercy on those who fear him.[c]

51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
    routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
    raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
    but sent the rich away empty.

54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
    mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
    to Avraham and his seed forever.”

56 Miryam stayed with Elisheva for about three months and then returned home.

57 The time arrived for Elisheva to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how good Adonai had been to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day, they came to do the child’s b’rit-milah. They were about to name him Z’kharyah, after his father, 60 when his mother spoke up and said, “No, he is to be called Yochanan.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has that name,” 62 and they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is Yochanan.” 64 At that moment, his power of speech returned, and his first words were a b’rakhah to God. 65 All their neighbors were awestruck; and throughout the hill country of Y’hudah, people talked about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard of them said to himself, “What is this child going to be?” For clearly the hand of Adonai was with him.

67 His father Z’kharyah was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and spoke this prophecy:

68 Praised be Adonai, the God of Isra’el,[d]
    because he has visited and made a ransom to liberate his people
69 by raising up for us a mighty Deliverer
    who is a descendant of his servant David.
70 It is just as he has spoken
    through the mouth of the prophets from the very beginning —
71 that we should be delivered from our enemies
    and from the power of all who hate us.

72 “This has happened so that he might show
    the mercy promised to our fathers —
that he would remember his holy covenant,
73     the oath he swore before Avraham avinu
74 to grant us that we, freed from our enemies,
    would serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
    before him all our days.

76 You, child, will be called a prophet of Ha‘Elyon;
    you will go before the Lord to prepare his way[e]
77 by spreading the knowledge among his people
    that deliverance comes by having sins forgiven
78 through our God’s most tender mercy,
    which causes the Sunrise to visit us from Heaven,
79 to shine on those in darkness, living in the shadow of death,[f]
    and to guide our feet into the paths of peace.”

80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilderness until the time came for him to appear in public to Isra’el.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:17 Malachi 3:23–24(4:5–6)
  2. Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1
  3. Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9
  4. Luke 1:68 Psalms 41:14(13); 72:18; 106:48
  5. Luke 1:76 Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3
  6. Luke 1:79 Isaiah 9:1(2)

Luke’s Account of Things Fulfilled

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things that [a](A)have been fulfilled among us, just as those, who (B)from the beginning [b]were (C)eyewitnesses and [c](D)servants of (E)the [d]word, handed them down to us, it seemed fitting for me as well, (F)having [e]investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you (G)in orderly sequence, (H)most excellent (I)Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty about the things you have been [f](J)taught.

John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold

(K)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the (L)division of [g]Abijah, and he had a wife [h]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both (M)righteous in the sight of God, walking (N)blamelessly in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the [i]Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in [j]years.

Now it happened that while (O)he was performing his priestly service before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot (P)to enter the [k]sanctuary of the [l]Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying (Q)outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And (R)an angel of the [m]Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and (S)fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “(T)Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will [n]bear you a son, and (U)you will call his name [o]John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the [p]Lord; and (V)he will not drink any wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit [q]while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will (W)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the [r]Lord their God. 17 And he will (X)go before Him in the spirit and power of (Y)Elijah, (Z)to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to (AA)make ready a people prepared for the [s]Lord.”

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For (AB)I am an old man and my wife is advanced in [t]years.” 19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am (AC)Gabriel, who (AD)stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the sanctuary. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. And he (AE)kept [u]making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 And it happened that when the days of his priestly service were fulfilled, he went back home.

24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she [v]kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked upon me to (AF)take away my disgrace among men.”

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 Now in the sixth month the angel (AG)Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called (AH)Nazareth, 27 to (AI)a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, (AJ)of the [w]house of David, and the virgin’s name was [x]Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, [y]favored one! The Lord [z]is with you.” 29 But she (AK)was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30 And the angel said to her, “(AL)Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you (AM)shall name Him Jesus. 32 [aa]He will be great and will be called the Son of (AN)the Most High, and the [ab]Lord God will give Him (AO)the throne of His father David, 33 (AP)and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, (AQ)and there will be no end of His kingdom.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I [ac]am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “(AR)The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (AS)the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason [ad](AT)the holy Child shall be called (AU)the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For [ae](AV)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the slave of the [af]Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now [ag]at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to (AW)the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was (AX)filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And [ah]how has it happened to me, that the mother of (AY)my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And (AZ)blessed is she who believed [ai]that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her [aj]by the [ak]Lord.”

Mary Magnifies the Lord

46 And Mary said:

(BA)My soul (BB)magnifies the [al]Lord,
47 And (BC)my spirit has rejoiced in (BD)God my Savior.
48 For (BE)He has looked upon the humble state of His slave,
For behold, from this time on, all generations will count me (BF)blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me,
And holy is His name.
50 (BG)And His mercy is [am]upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 (BH)He has done a mighty deed with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the [an]thoughts of their heart.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has (BI)exalted those who were humble.
53 (BJ)He has filled the hungry with good things,
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
54 He has given help to Israel His servant,
[ao]In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (BK)As He spoke to our fathers,
(BL)To Abraham and his seed forever.”

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

John the Baptist Is Born

57 Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to [ap]give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had (BM)magnified His great mercy toward her, and they were rejoicing with her.

59 And it happened that on (BN)the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after the name of his father. 60 But his mother answered and said, “No, but (BO)he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 And they (BP)were making signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “(BQ)His name is John.” And they all marveled. 64 (BR)And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all those living around them, and all these matters were being talked about in all (BS)the hill country of Judea. 66 And all who heard these things put them in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” For (BT)the hand of the [aq]Lord was indeed with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 And his father Zechariah (BU)was filled with the Holy Spirit, and (BV)prophesied, saying:

68 (BW)Blessed be the [ar]Lord God of Israel,
For He visited and accomplished (BX)redemption for His people,
69 And raised up a (BY)horn of salvation for us
In the house of David (BZ)His servant—
70 (CA)As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets (CB)from of old—
71 [as](CC)Salvation (CD)from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 (CE)To show mercy toward our fathers,
(CF)And to remember His holy covenant,
73 (CG)The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 (CH)In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the (CI)prophet of (CJ)the Most High,
For you will go on (CK)before the [at]Lord to (CL)make ready His ways,
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
[au]By (CM)the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which (CN)the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 (CO)To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To direct our feet into the (CP)way of peace.”

80 (CQ)And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the desolate regions until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:1 Or on which there is full conviction
  2. Luke 1:2 Lit became
  3. Luke 1:2 Or ministers
  4. Luke 1:2 Gospel
  5. Luke 1:3 Or followed
  6. Luke 1:4 Or orally instructed in
  7. Luke 1:5 Gr Abia
  8. Luke 1:5 Of priestly descent
  9. Luke 1:6 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Deut 4:1
  10. Luke 1:7 Lit days
  11. Luke 1:9 The inner part of the temple
  12. Luke 1:9 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 2 Kin 18:16
  13. Luke 1:11 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 2 Kin 1:3
  14. Luke 1:13 Or give birth to, cf. 1:14, 57
  15. Luke 1:13 Gr Joannes, Heb Johanan; so in Luke
  16. Luke 1:15 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Is 49:5
  17. Luke 1:15 Lit from
  18. Luke 1:16 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ex 10:7
  19. Luke 1:17 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Is 40:1-3; Mal 4:6
  20. Luke 1:18 Lit days
  21. Luke 1:22 Or beckoning to, nodding to
  22. Luke 1:24 Lit was hidden
  23. Luke 1:27 Or descendants
  24. Luke 1:27 Gr Mariam, Heb Miriam; so in Luke
  25. Luke 1:28 Or woman richly blessed
  26. Luke 1:28 Or be
  27. Luke 1:32 Lit This One
  28. Luke 1:32 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 2 Sam 7:11
  29. Luke 1:34 Lit know no man
  30. Luke 1:35 Lit the holy thing begotten
  31. Luke 1:37 Lit not any word
  32. Luke 1:38 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Deut 34:5
  33. Luke 1:39 Lit in these days
  34. Luke 1:43 Lit from where this to me
  35. Luke 1:45 Or because there will be
  36. Luke 1:45 Lit from
  37. Luke 1:45 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Gen 12:4
  38. Luke 1:46 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 1 Sam 2:1
  39. Luke 1:50 Lit unto generations and generations
  40. Luke 1:51 Lit thought
  41. Luke 1:54 Lit So as to remember
  42. Luke 1:57 Or bear
  43. Luke 1:66 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Ex 9:3
  44. Luke 1:68 In OT, Yahweh, cf. 1 Sam 25:32
  45. Luke 1:71 Or Deliverance
  46. Luke 1:76 In OT, Yahweh, cf. Is 40:1-3; Mal 3:1
  47. Luke 1:77 Or Consisting in