Lukas 1
Orthodox Jewish Bible
1 Vi-bahlt (since) many Messianic Sofrim have attempted to compile a sefer, a historical narrative, about the momentous events that have been fulfilled among us,
2 Just as these [masoret haShluchim] have been handed down to us by those who from HaReshit [of the Besuras HaGeulah] were edei reiyah (eyewitnesses) and mesharetim [ministers] of the Dvar Hashem,
3 I thought it expedient also, having done an iyun (investigative research), accurately and carefully being meayen (engaged in research) in every source and making a medakdeke (pain-stakingly thorough) investigation of every aspect from HaReshit (the Beginning), to write for you and to mesader (arrange, place in succession) an orderly account, most noble Theophilus,
4 That you may have daas of HaEmes regarding the Divrei Moshiach about which you took shiurim (lessons).
5 At the time of Herod king of Yehudah, there was a certain kohen by the name Zecharyah, who belonged to the Aviyah division. His isha was of the banot Aharon, name of Elisheva. [DIVREY HAYAMIM ALEF 24:10]
6 And they were both tzaddikim before Hashem, walking a derech tamim in all the mitzvot and chukkim of the Torah of Adoneinu. [BERESHIS 6:9; DEVARIM 5:33; MELACHIM ALEF 9:4]
7 But they had no ben, because Elisheva was barren, and they were both advanced in their yamim.
8 And it came to pass in the performance of his avodas kodesh sherut as a kohen before Hashem in the appointed order of his division, [DIVREY HAYAMIM ALEF 24:19; DIVREY HAYAMIM BAIS 8:14]
9 According to the minhag (custom) of the kehunah, Zecharyah was chosen by lot to enter the Beis Hamikdash and to offer ketoret (incense). [SHEMOT 30:7,8; DIVREY HAYAMIM ALEF 23:13; DIVREY HAYAMIM BAIS 29:11; TEHILLIM 141:2]
10 And when the hour of the offering of the ketoret came, all the multitude were davening outside. [VAYIKRA 16:17]
11 And there appeared to Zecharyah a malach Hashem, standing on the right side of the Mizbeach of ketoret. [SHEMOT 30:1-10]
12 And, seeing the malach, Zecharyah was terrified, and pachad (fear) fell on him. [SHOFETIM 6:22,23; 13:22]
13 But the malach said to him, Do not have pachad (fear), Zecharyah. Your tefillah (prayer) was heard and your isha, Elisheva, will bear a ben to you and you will call his shem Yochanan.
14 And he will be a simcha to you and sasson (joy), and there will be sasson rav (great joy) at his huledet (birth).
15 And he will be gadol before Hashem, and he will not drink yayin or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Ruach Hakodesh from the womb of his Em (mother), [BAMIDBAR 6:3; VAYIKRA 10:9; SHOFETIM 13:4; YIRMEYAH 1:5]
16 And many of the Bnei Yisroel he will turn back in teshuva to Hashem Eloheihem.
17 And he will go forth before Adonoi in the ruach (spirit) and koach (power) of Eliyahu HaNavi, VEHESHIV LEV AVOT AL BANIM (And he will turn the heart of the fathers to the children MALACHI 3:24 [4:6]) and those without mishmaat (obedience) he will turn to the chochmah of the tzaddikim to prepare for Adonoi an Am (People) having been made ready. [MALACHI 4:5,6]
18 And Zecharyah said to the malach, Just how will I have daas that this is so? For I am old and my isha is advanced in her yamim (days). [BERESHIS 15:8; 17:17]
19 And in reply, the malach said to Zecharyah, I am Gavriel, I stand before Hashem. And I was sent to speak to you and to announce these things to you. [DANIEL 8:16; 9:21]
20 And hinei! You will be illem (mute) and not be able to speak, until the yom (day) when these things come to pass, because you did not have emunah in my dvarim (words), which will be fulfilled in their time. [SHEMOT 4:11; YECHEZKEL 3:26]
21 And the people were expecting Zecharyah and they were bewildered at his delay in the Beis HaMikdash.
22 And when he came out, he was illem (mute) and not able to speak to them, and they had daas that he had seen a chazon in the Heikhal. He kept motioning to them and he remained illem.
23 And it came about as the yamim of his sherut (service in the Beis HaMikdash) as a kohen were fulfilled, he went to his bais (house).
24 And after these yamim, Elisheva, his isha, became with child, and she kept herself in hitbodedut for chamesh chodashim, saying,
25 Hashem has done this for me. In these yamim he looked with Chen vChesed (favor and mercy, loving kindness) on me to take away my reproach among Bnei Adam. [BERESHIS 30:23; YESHAYAH 4:1]
26 Now in the chodesh shishi the malach Gavriel was sent from Hashem to a shtetl in the Galil called Natzeret,
27 To a betulah (virgin) given in erusin (betrothal, engagement) to an ish from the Beis Dovid named Yosef [ben Dovid], and the shem of the almah was Miryam.
28 And when the malach approached her, he said, Shalom, favored one! Hashem is with you!
29 But she was greatly perplexed at the message, and kept pondering what sort of Shalom greeting this might be.
30 And the malach said to her, Do not have pachad (fear), Miryam, for you have found chen before Hashem.
31 And in your womb you will conceive and bear BEN [YESHAYAH 7:14] and you will call SHMO YEHOSHUA. [ZECHARYAH 6:11-12]
32 He will be gadol (great) and will be called Ben HaElyon (Son of the Most High). Adonoi Elohim will give him the kisse Dovid Aviv,
33 And he will rule over the Beis Yaakov Olam vaed, and his Malchut will never come to an end. [SHMUEL BAIS 7:16; TEHILLIM 89:3,4; YESHAYAH 9:7; YIRMEYAH 33:17; DANIEL 2:44; 7:14,27; MICHOH 4:7]
34 But Miryam said to the malach, How will this be, vibahlt (since) I do not have daas of an ish?
35 And in reply, the malach said to her, The Ruach Hakodesh will come upon you and the gevurah of HaElyon will overshadow you. Therefore, also, the one being born will be called HaKadosh (The Holy One), Ben HaElohim.
36 And Elisheva your krovah also has conceived a ben in her old age, and this chodesh is hashishi (the sixth) for her who is called barren.
37 For nothing will be impossible with Hashem.
38 And Miryam said, Hinei! I am the shifcha of Hashem. May it be done to me according to your dvar. And the malach departed from her.
39 And in those yamim, Miryam got up and traveled into the hill country with haste to a shtetl of Yehudah.
40 And she entered into the bais of Zecharyah and gave Birkat Shalom greetings to Elisheva.
41 And it came about, when Elisheva heard the Birkat Shalom of Miryam, the yeled leaped in Elisheva’s womb, and she was filled with the Ruach Hakodesh.
42 And Elisheva cried out with a kol gadol (loud voice) and said, Brucha at miNashim (Blessed art thou among women), and baruch (blessed is) the pri (fruit) of your womb! [SHOFETIM 5:24]
43 And why has this happened to me that the Em Adoni should come to me?
44 For hinei! When the sound of your Birkat Shalom came into my ears, the yeled leaped with simcha in my womb.
45 And ashrey is the one having had emunah that there will be a fulfillment to the things having been spoken to Miryam by Hashem.
46 And Miryam said, My soul doth magnify Hashem [TEHILLIM 34:2,3]
47 ALATZ LIBI BAHASHEM (My heart rejoices in Hashem SHMUEL ALEF 2:1) and my neshamah exalts in Hashem Yishi (G-d my savior, Moshi’a) CHABAKUK 3:18, [TEHILLIM 18:46; YESHAYAH 17:10; 61:10]
48 For HASHEM VISHAFAL YIREH (TEHILLIM 138:6) looked upon the humble state of His shifcha (bond maid) for from now on kol hadorot ishruni (all generations will call me happy, BERESHIS 30:13) [TEHILLIM 138:6]
49 For Shaddai (the Almighty) did gedolot for me and Kadosh is Shmo, [TEHILLIM 111:9]
50 And the chesed of Hashem is DOR VDOR [TEHILLIM 100:5] to those with yirat Shomayim. [SHEMOT 20:6; TEHILLIM 103:17]
51 Hashem has done niflaot (wonders) with his zeroa [arm, YESHAYAH 53:1]. He scattered those who in the machshavot (thoughts) of their levavot are the Gaayonim (the Haughty ones).
52 He brought down shalitim (rulers) from their kisot (thrones) and lifted up the Anavim (Humble),
53 The ones hungering, Hashem made full of tov, and the ashirim he sent away empty. [TEHILLIM 107:9]
54 Hashem helped his servant Yisroel, in remembrance of his rachamim (mercy),
55 Just as Hashem spoke to Avoteinu, to Avraham Avinu and his Zera ad Olam.
56 And Miryam remained with Elisheva about shlosha chodashim, and then Miryam returned to her bais.
57 Now when the time of Elisheva to give birth was fulfilled, she bore a ben.
58 And Elisheva’s shchenim (neighbors) and krovim (relatives) heard that Adoneinu greatly demonstrated his rachamim to her, and they had much simcha with her.
59 And it came about on the yom hashemini (the eighth day) they came for the bris milah of the yeled, and they were calling him by the name of his abba, Zecharyah.
60 And in reply, his Em said: Lo, but he will be called Yochanan.
61 And they said to her, There is no one from your krovim who is called by this shem.
62 And they began motioning to the yeled’s abba to find out what shem he wanted to give him.
63 And having asked for a luach (tablet), Zecharyah wrote, saying, Yochanan shmo. And everyone was amazed.
64 And Zecharyah’s mouth was loosed at once and the lashon of him, and he began speaking, saying Baruch Hashem!
65 And upon all their shchenim (neighbors) came much yirat Shomayim, and in the entire hill country of Yehudah everyone was shmoozing about these matters.
66 All who heard these things pondered them in their levavot, saying, What then will this yeled become? For, indeed, the yad Hashem was on him. [BERESHIS 39:2]
67 And Zecharyah, his abba, was filled with the Ruach Hakodesh and brought forth a dvar nevuah, saying,
68 BARUCH HASHEM ELOHEI YISROEL, for Adonoi has visited his Am Berit and accomplished a pedut kofer ransom for the Geulah of his people.
69 And Hashem raised up a Keren Yeshuah (Horn of Salvation), a mighty Moshia, for us in the Beis Dovid, His eved,
70 Just as Hashem spoke through the mouth of His neviim hakedoshim meOlam (holy prophets from long ago), [YIRMEYAH 23:5]
71 That we should have Yeshuat Eloheinu from our oyvim (enemies) and from the hand of all the ones who regard us with sinas chinom (baseless hatred).
72 Thus Hashem has demonstrated his rachamim (mercy) to Avoteinu (our Fathers) and has remembered his Brit HaKodesh (Holy Covenant), [MICHOH 7:20; TEHILLIM 105:8,9; 106:45; YECHEZKEL 16:60]
73 The Brit HaShevuah (the Covenant of the oath) which He swore to Avraham Avinu to grant us, [BERESHIS 22:16-18]
74 Having been delivered from the yad haoyvim (hand of enemies) of us to serve Hashem fearlessly,
75 In kedushah (holiness) and tzedek (righteousness) before Him all our yamim (days).
76 And you also, yeled (child), will be called Navi HaElyon (Prophet of the Most High); for you will go LIFNEI HAADON (before the L-rd) to prepare the DERECH HASHEM (The Way of the L-rd) [MALACHI 3:1; YESHAYAH 40:3]
77 To give daas (knowledge) of Yeshuat Eloheinu (the Salvation of our G-d) to Hashem’s Am Berit (People of the Covenant) by the selichat (forgiveness) of their avon (sin) [YIRMEYAH 31:34]
78 Through the rav rachamim of Eloheinu (through the great mercy of our G-d), by which has visited us the rising SHEMESH [Sun, Moshiach] from Shomayim, [MALACHI 3:20 (4:2)]
79 To appear to the ones in CHOSHECH (darkness) and YOSHVEI BERETZ TZALMAVET (sitting in the land of the shadow of death), to direct our feet into the Derech Shalom. [Psa 107:14; Isa 9:1-2; 59:9]
80 And the yeled was growing and was being given chizzuk (strengthening) in the Ruach Hakodesh, and Yochanan was in the desolate places until the day of his hisgalus (revelation, manifestation) to Yisroel.
Luke 1
English Standard Version
Dedication to Theophilus
1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that (A)have been accomplished among us, 2 (B)just as those who (C)from the beginning were (D)eyewitnesses and (E)ministers of (F)the word (G)have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write (H)an orderly account for you, (I)most excellent (J)Theophilus, 4 that you may have (K)certainty concerning the things (L)you have been taught.
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 (M)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,[a] (N)of (O)the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both (P)righteous before God, walking (Q)blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because (R)Elizabeth was barren, and (S)both were advanced in years.
8 Now (T)while he was serving as priest before God when (U)his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot (V)to enter (W)the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people (X)were praying (Y)outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of (Z)the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and (AA)fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for (AB)your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and (AC)you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will (AD)rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be (AE)great before the Lord. And (AF)he must not drink wine or strong (AG)drink, and (AH)he will be (AI)filled with the Holy Spirit, (AJ)even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and (AK)he will go before him (AL)in the spirit and power of Elijah, (AM)to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and (AN)the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, (AO)to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, (AP)“How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel answered him, “I am (AQ)Gabriel. (AR)I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, (AS)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.” 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in (AT)the temple. 22 And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in (AU)the temple. And (AV)he kept making signs to them and remained mute. 23 And (AW)when his time of (AX)service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After 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, (AY)to take away my reproach among people.”
Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month the angel (AZ)Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named (BA)Nazareth, 27 (BB)to a virgin betrothed[b] to a man whose name was Joseph, (BC)of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, (BD)O favored one, (BE)the Lord is with you!”[c] 29 But (BF)she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for (BG)you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, (BH)you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and (BI)you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (BJ)the Most High. And the Lord God (BK)will give to him the throne of (BL)his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob (BM)forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[d]
35 And the angel answered her, (BN)“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (BO)the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[e] will be called (BP)holy—(BQ)the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her (BR)who was called barren. 37 For (BS)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[f] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And (BT)the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into (BU)the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth (BV)was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, (BW)“Blessed are you among women, and (BX)blessed is (BY)the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of (BZ)my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And (CA)blessed is she who believed that there would be[g] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said,
(CB)“My (CC)soul (CD)magnifies the Lord,
47 (CE)and my (CF)spirit rejoices in (CG)God my Savior,
48 for (CH)he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations (CI)will call me blessed;
49 for (CJ)he who is mighty (CK)has done great things for me,
and (CL)holy is his name.
50 And (CM)his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 (CN)He has shown strength with his arm;
(CO)he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 (CP)he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
(CQ)and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled (CR)the hungry with good things,
and the rich (CS)he has sent away empty.
54 He has (CT)helped (CU)his servant Israel,
(CV)in remembrance of his mercy,
55 (CW)as he spoke to our fathers,
(CX)to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord (CY)had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And (CZ)on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother answered, “No; (DA)he shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” 62 And (DB)they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. 63 And he asked for (DC)a writing tablet and wrote, (DD)“His name is John.” And they all wondered. 64 (DE)And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue (DF)loosed, and he spoke, (DG)blessing God. 65 And (DH)fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all (DI)the hill country of Judea, 66 and all who heard them (DJ)laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For (DK)the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zechariah's Prophecy
67 And his father Zechariah (DL)was filled with the Holy Spirit and (DM)prophesied, saying,
68 (DN)“Blessed be the Lord (DO)God of Israel,
for he has (DP)visited and (DQ)redeemed his people
69 and (DR)has raised up (DS)a horn of salvation for us
(DT)in the house of his servant David,
70 (DU)as (DV)he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 (DW)that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 (DX)to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and (DY)to remember his holy (DZ)covenant,
73 (EA)the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him (EB)without fear,
75 (EC)in holiness and righteousness before him (ED)all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called (EE)the prophet of (EF)the Most High;
for (EG)you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
(EH)in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the (EI)tender mercy of our God,
whereby (EJ)the sunrise shall (EK)visit us[h] (EL)from on high
79 to (EM)give light to (EN)those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into (EO)the way of (EP)peace.”
80 (EQ)And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was (ER)in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Footnotes
- Luke 1:5 Greek Zacharias
- Luke 1:27 That is, legally pledged to be married
- Luke 1:28 Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women!
- Luke 1:34 Greek since I do not know a man
- Luke 1:35 Some manuscripts add of you
- Luke 1:38 Greek bondservant; also verse 48
- Luke 1:45 Or believed, for there will be
- Luke 1:78 Or when the sunrise shall dawn upon us; some manuscripts since the sunrise has visited us
Lukas 1
Het Boek
De geboorte van Johannes de Doper aangekondigd
1 Beste Theofilus, er zijn al verscheidene boeken over het leven van Jezus Christus geschreven. 2 Men is daarbij steeds uitgegaan van wat de eerste leerlingen en andere ooggetuigen hebben verteld. 3 Toch dacht ik dat het nuttig zou zijn alles nog eens nauwkeurig na te gaan en u daarvan een geordend verslag uit te brengen. 4 U zult zien dat het volledig overeenstemt met wat u is geleerd.
5 Mijn verhaal begint bij de Joodse priester Zacharias, die leefde in de tijd dat Herodes koning van Judea was. Hij behoorde tot de priesterafdeling van Abia. Zijn vrouw Elisabeth kwam net als hijzelf uit het priestergeslacht van Aäron. 6 Zacharias en Elisabeth waren goede mensen, die zich stipt aan Gods wetten hielden. 7 Zij hadden geen kinderen, omdat Elisabeth onvruchtbaar was. Op het moment dat dit verhaal begint, waren zij allebei al erg oud.
8 Op een dag had Zacharias dienst in de tempel, omdat zijn afdeling aan de beurt was. 9 Er werd altijd om geloot wie het heiligdom van God zou binnengaan om wierook te branden. Deze keer was het lot op Zacharias gevallen. 10 Terwijl hij in het heiligdom bezig was, stonden op het tempelplein vele mensen te bidden. 11 Plotseling zag Zacharias een engel van de Here staan, rechts van het altaar waarop de wierook werd gebrand. 12 Hij wist niet wat hem overkwam en werd bang. 13 De engel zei: ‘Wees niet bang, Zacharias. Ik ben gekomen om u te vertellen dat God uw gebed heeft verhoord. Uw vrouw Elisabeth zal een zoon krijgen en u moet hem Johannes noemen. 14 Hij zal u en vele andere mensen heel erg blij maken. 15 Uw zoon zal een groot man zijn in de ogen van de Here. Hij mag geen druppel wijn of sterke drank drinken en al voor zijn geboorte zal hij vol zijn van de Heilige Geest. 16 Hij zal vele Joden ervan overtuigen dat zij moeten terugkeren tot de Here, hun God. 17 Hij zal een bijzondere man zijn, een boodschapper met dezelfde geest en kracht als de profeet Elia. Hij zal ouders en kinderen verzoenen en de ongehoorzamen weer op het pad van de rechtvaardigheid brengen. Zo vormt hij een volk dat gereedstaat voor God.’ 18 Zacharias zei tegen de engel: ‘Moet ik dat zomaar geloven? Ik ben immers al oud en mijn vrouw ook!’
19 Toen zei de engel: ‘Ik ben Gabriël en leef heel dicht bij God. Hij heeft mij naar u toegestuurd om u dit te vertellen, maar u wilt mij niet geloven. 20 Daarom zult u vanaf nu niet meer kunnen spreken. Pas als het kind geboren is, zult u weer kunnen spreken. Want wat ik heb gezegd, zal precies op tijd uitkomen.’ 21 Ondertussen stonden de mensen buiten op Zacharias te wachten. Zij vroegen zich af waarom hij zo lang in het heiligdom bleef. 22 Eindelijk kwam hij naar buiten, maar hij zei niets. Hij kon geen woord uitbrengen. Uit zijn gebaren konden zij opmaken dat hij in het heiligdom een engel had gezien. 23 Zacharias bleef in de tempel tot zijn dienst voorbij was en ging toen naar huis terug. 24 Kort daarna werd Elisabeth zwanger. Vijf maanden lang kwam zij niet onder de mensen. 25 ‘Wat is de Here goed voor mij!’ juichte zij. ‘Hij heeft de schande van mij weggenomen dat ik geen kinderen had.’
De geboorte van Jezus aangekondigd
26 Toen Elisabeth in haar zesde maand was, stuurde God de engel Gabriël naar Nazareth, een stad in Galilea. 27 Hij moest bij Maria zijn, een jonge vrouw die verloofd was met een zekere Jozef, die nog van koning David afstamde. 28 Gabriël kwam bij haar binnen en zei: ‘Ik wens u vrede toe! U bent een gelukkige vrouw. De Here zij met u!’ 29 Maria raakte daardoor in de war en werd bang. Zij vroeg zich af wat hij bedoelde. 30 ‘Wees niet bang, Maria,’ zei de engel, ‘want God heeft besloten u heel bijzonder te zegenen. 31 U zult zwanger worden en een zoon krijgen, die u de naam Jezus moet geven. 32 Hij zal een groot man zijn en Zoon van de Allerhoogste worden genoemd. God, de Here, zal Hem de troon van zijn voorvader David geven. 33 Hij zal voor altijd over het volk Israël regeren en aan zijn regering zal geen einde komen.’
34 ‘Maar hoe kan ik een kind krijgen?’ vroeg Maria. ‘Ik ben nog maagd.’ 35 De engel antwoordde: ‘De Heilige Geest zal over u komen. U zult zwanger worden door de kracht van God. Daarom zal uw Kind heilig zijn en de Zoon van God worden genoemd. 36 Ik heb nog meer nieuws. Het is over uw oude tante Elisabeth. U weet dat zij geen kinderen kon krijgen, maar nu verwacht zij een zoon. Zij is al in haar zesde maand. 37 Voor God is niets onmogelijk. Wat Hij zegt, gebeurt.’
38 ‘Goed,’ zei Maria, ‘de Here mag met mij doen wat Hij wil. Ik hoop dat het zo zal gaan als u mij hebt gezegd.’ Daarop ging de engel weg.
39 Kort daarop reisde Maria zo vlug zij kon naar het bergland van Judea om Elisabeth te bezoeken. 40 Zij ging het huis van Zacharias binnen en groette Elisabeth. 41 Toen Elisabeth de groet van Maria hoorde, begon het kind in haar buik te trappelen. En Elisabeth zelf werd vol van de Heilige Geest. 42 Zij jubelde het uit en zei tegen Maria: ‘Jij bent de meest gezegende vrouw van de hele wereld en jouw kind draagt Gods zegen.
43 Wat een eer dat de moeder van mijn Here bij mij op bezoek komt. 44 Want toen je binnenkwam en ik je stem hoorde, begon het kind in mijn buik te trappelen van blijdschap. 45 Jij hebt geloofd dat God zou doen wat Hij zei. Wat een geluk!’
46 Maria antwoordde: ‘Ik prijs de Here met mijn hele hart! 47 Ik kan mijn blijdschap niet op! 48 God, mijn Redder, heeft aan mij gedacht. En ik ben maar een gewone vrouw. Nu zullen de mensen altijd en overal zeggen dat ik bevoorrecht ben, 49 want de machtige, heilige God heeft grote dingen voor mij gedaan. 50 Hij is altijd goed voor mensen, die ontzag voor Hem hebben. 51 Hij heeft laten zien hoe groot en machtig Hij is. Hij heeft hoogmoedige mensen in verwarring gebracht 52 en vorsten van hun troon gestoten. Maar gewone mensen zijn door Hem op een voetstuk gezet. 53 Hij heeft hongerigen overladen met het goede en rijken met lege handen weggestuurd. 54 Hij heeft zijn knecht Israël geholpen. 55 Hij is zijn belofte niet vergeten, want hij had Abraham en zijn kinderen beloofd altijd goed voor hen te zijn.’
56 Maria bleef ongeveer drie maanden bij Elisabeth. Toen ging zij terug naar huis. 57 De dag kwam dat Elisabeths kind geboren werd en het was een jongen. 58 Natuurlijk kwamen haar buren en familieleden het al gauw te weten. Iedereen was blij omdat de Here zo goed voor haar was geweest. 59 Toen het kind acht dagen oud was, werd naar Joods gebruik zijn voorhuid weggesneden en kreeg hij zijn naam. Ieder die bij deze plechtigheid aanwezig was, dacht dat het kind net als zijn vader Zacharias zou heten. 60 Maar Elisabeth zei: ‘Nee! Hij moet Johannes heten.’ 61 ‘Johannes? Er is toch niemand in de hele familie die zo heet!’ zei men. 62 Ze vroegen de vader wat hij ervan vond. 63 Hij maakte hun duidelijk dat hij iets wilde hebben om op te schrijven. 64 Tot ieders verbazing schreef hij: ‘Zijn naam is Johannes.’ Op hetzelfde moment kon hij weer spreken en begon hij God te prijzen. 65 Dit maakte diepe indruk op de mensen. Overal in het bergland van Judea werd erover gesproken. 66 Ieder die het nieuws hoorde, nam het ter harte en zei: ‘Wat zal er van dat kind worden?’ Want het was duidelijk dat de Here iets bijzonders met hem voorhad. 67 Zacharias werd vol van de Heilige Geest, die hem liet zeggen: 68 ‘Prijs de Here, de God van Israël. Hij heeft zijn volk bezocht en gered. 69 Hij heeft ons een machtige Redder gestuurd uit het geslacht van zijn dienaar David, 70 zoals Hij lang geleden door zijn heilige profeten had beloofd. 71 Hij heeft ons iemand gestuurd die ons zal redden uit de handen van onze vijanden, van allen die ons haten. 72 Hij is goed voor onze voorouders geweest. 73 Hij heeft zijn plechtige belofte aan Abraham niet vergeten. 74 Hij heeft ons het voorrecht gegeven Hem te dienen zonder angst, bevrijd uit de handen van onze vijanden. 75 Wij mogen bij Hem horen en doen wat Hij zegt, heel ons leven lang.
76 En jij, kind, jij zult een profeet van de Allerhoogste God worden genoemd. Jij zult voor de Redder uitgaan om zijn volk voor te bereiden op zijn komst. 77 Jij zult hun vertellen dat zij gered kunnen worden door de vergeving van hun zonden. 78 Want het hart van onze God loopt over van liefde en goedheid. Een hemels licht zal op ons schijnen, 79 zodat de mensen die in het donker en de schaduw van de dood zitten, weer kunnen zien en wij op de weg van de vrede worden gebracht.’
80 De jonge Johannes groeide op en werd sterk gemaakt door de Heilige Geest. Hij hield zich op in dorre streken en bleef daar tot de dag dat hij in het openbaar in Israël optrad.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
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