Luke 1
Lexham English Bible
The Preface to Luke’s Gospel
1 Since many have attempted to compile an account concerning the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning passed on to us, 3 it seemed best to me also—because I[a] have followed all things carefully from the beginning—to write them[b] down in orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty concerning the things about which you were taught.
The Prediction of John the Baptist’s Birth
5 It happened that in the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest, Zechariah by name, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife[c] from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous in the sight of God, living blamelessly in all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7 And they did not have[d] a child, because Elizabeth was barren. And they were both advanced in years.[e]
8 And it happened that while[f] he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood he was chosen by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense. 10 And the whole crowd of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was terrified when he[g] saw the angel,[h] and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him,
“Do not be afraid, Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard,
and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will call his name John.
14 And you will experience joy and exultation,[i]
and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord,
and he must never drink wine or beer,
and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit
while he is[j] still in his mother’s womb.
16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel
to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go on 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 prepare for the Lord a people made ready.”
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “By what will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years!”[k] 19 And the angel answered and[l] said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because[m] you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and began to wonder[n] when[o] he was delayed in the temple. 22 And when he[p] came out he was not able to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them, and remained unable to speak. 23 And it happened that when the days of his service came to an end, he went away to his home.
24 Now after these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days in which he has concerned himself with me,[q] to take away my disgrace among people.”
The Prediction of Jesus’ Birth
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named[r] Nazareth, 27 to a virgin legally promised in marriage to a man named[s] Joseph of the house of David. And the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And he came to her and[t] said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at the statement, and was pondering what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her,
“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in the womb and will give birth to a son,
and you will call his name Jesus.
32 This one will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High,
and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever,[u]
and of his kingdom there will be no end.
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 35 And the angel answered and[v] said to her,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore also the one to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth—she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”[w]
38 So Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s female slave! May it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Now in those days Mary set out and[x] traveled with haste into the hill country, to a town of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zechariah, and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby in her womb leaped and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud shout and said,
“Blessed are you among women,
and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 And why is this granted to me, that the mother of 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 blessed is she who believed that there will be a fulfillment to what was spoken to her from the Lord!”
Mary’s Hymn of Praise to God
46 And Mary said,
“My soul exalts the Lord,
47 and my spirit has rejoiced greatly in God my Savior,
48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his female slave,
for behold, from now on all generations will consider me blessed,
49 because the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for generation after generation
to those who fear him.
51 He has done a mighty deed with his arm;
he has dispersed the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled those who are hungry with good things,
and those who are rich he has sent away empty-handed.
54 He has helped Israel his servant,
remembering his mercy,
55 just as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”[y]
56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth that she should give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her,[z] and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were wanting to name him after[aa] his father Zechariah. 60 And his mother answered and[ab] said, “No, but he will be named John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one of your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 So they made signs to his father asking what he wanted him to be named, 63 and he asked for a writing tablet and[ac] wrote, saying, “John is his name.” And they were all astonished. 64 And his mouth and his tongue were opened immediately, and he began to speak,[ad] praising God. 65 And fear came on all those who lived near them, and in all the hill country of Judea all these events were discussed. 66 And all those who heard kept these things[ae] in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be? For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him!”
The Praise and Prophecy of Zechariah
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
because he has visited to help and has redeemed[af] his people,
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 just as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times—
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us,
72 to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to Abraham our father,
to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
could serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.
76 And so you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
by the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the merciful compassion[ag] of our God
by which the dawn will visit to help us from on high,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to direct our feet into the way of peace.”
80 And the child kept growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
Footnotes
- Luke 1:3 Here “because” is supplied as a component of the participle (“have followed”) which is understood as causal
- Luke 1:3 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Luke 1:5 Literally “a wife to him”
- Luke 1:7 Literally “there was not to them”
- Luke 1:7 Literally “in their days”
- Luke 1:8 Here “while” is supplied as a component of the temporal infinitive (“was serving as priest”)
- Luke 1:12 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“saw”) which is understood as temporal
- Luke 1:12 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Luke 1:14 Literally “joy and exultation will be to you”
- Luke 1:15 Here the phrase “while he is,” including the verb, is understood in Greek and is supplied in the translation
- Luke 1:18 Literally “in her days”
- Luke 1:19 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Luke 1:20 Literally “in return for which”
- Luke 1:21 The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to wonder”)
- Luke 1:21 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the temporal infinitive (“was delayed”)
- Luke 1:22 Here “when” is supplied as a component of the participle (“came out”) which is understood as temporal
- Luke 1:25 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Luke 1:26 Literally “to which the name”
- Luke 1:27 Literally “to whom the name”
- Luke 1:28 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Luke 1:33 Literally “for the ages”
- Luke 1:35 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Luke 1:37 Literally “every thing will not be impossible with God”
- Luke 1:39 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“set out”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Luke 1:55 Literally “for the age”
- Luke 1:58 Literally “the Lord had made great his mercy with her”
- Luke 1:59 Literally “in the name of”
- Luke 1:60 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Luke 1:63 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“asked for”) has been translated as a finite verb
- Luke 1:64 *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here (“began to speak”)
- Luke 1:66 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
- Luke 1:68 Literally “has done redemption for”
- Luke 1:78 Or “heart”
Luke 1
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
I. The Prologue[a]
Chapter 1
1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us,(A) 2 just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,(B) 3 I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.
II. The Infancy Narrative[b]
Announcement of the Birth of John. 5 In the days of Herod, King of Judea,[c] there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.(C) 6 Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 7 But they had no child,[d] because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.(D) 8 Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, 9 according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense.(E) 10 Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, 11 the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid,[e] Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.(F) 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] Lord. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink.[f] He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb,(G) 16 and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah[g] to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.”(H) 18 Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel,[h] who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news.(I) 20 But now you will be speechless and unable to talk[i] until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”(J)
21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long 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. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. 23 Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. 24 After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”(K)
Announcement of the Birth of Jesus.[j] 26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.(L) 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”(M) 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 (N)Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 (O)He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,[k] and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”(P) 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”[l] 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.(Q) 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived[m] a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.”(R) 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth. 39 During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit,(S) 42 cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.(T) 43 And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord[n] should come to me? 44 For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed are you who believed[o] that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”(U)
The Canticle of Mary. 46 (V)And Mary said:[p]
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;(W)
47 my spirit rejoices in God my savior.(X)
48 For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;
behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.(Y)
49 The Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.(Z)
50 His mercy is from age to age
to those who fear him.(AA)
51 He has shown might with his arm,
dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.(AB)
52 He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones
but lifted up the lowly.(AC)
53 The hungry he has filled with good things;
the rich he has sent away empty.(AD)
54 He has helped Israel his servant,
remembering his mercy,(AE)
55 according to his promise to our fathers,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”(AF)
56 Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
The Birth of John.[q] 57 When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.(AG) 59 [r]When they came on the eighth day to circumcise(AH) the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.”(AI) 61 But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 62 So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63 He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God.(AJ) 65 Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
The Canticle of Zechariah. 67 Then Zechariah his father, filled with the holy Spirit, prophesied, saying:
68 [s]“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited and brought redemption to his people.(AK)
69 [t]He has raised up a horn for our salvation
within the house of David his servant,(AL)
70 even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,(AM)
72 to show mercy to our fathers(AN)
and to be mindful of his holy covenant(AO)
73 and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father,(AP)
and to grant us that, 74 rescued from the hand of enemies,
without fear we might worship him 75 in holiness and righteousness
before him all our days.(AQ)
76 And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord[u] to prepare his ways,(AR)
77 to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God(AS)
by which the daybreak from on high[v] will visit us(AT)
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow,
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the desert until the day of his manifestation to Israel.(AU)
Footnotes
- 1:1–4 The Gospel according to Luke is the only one of the synoptic gospels to begin with a literary prologue. Making use of a formal, literary construction and vocabulary, the author writes the prologue in imitation of Hellenistic Greek writers and, in so doing, relates his story about Jesus to contemporaneous Greek and Roman literature. Luke is not only interested in the words and deeds of Jesus, but also in the larger context of the birth, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus as the fulfillment of the promises of God in the Old Testament. As a second- or third-generation Christian, Luke acknowledges his debt to earlier eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, but claims that his contribution to this developing tradition is a complete and accurate account, told in an orderly manner, and intended to provide Theophilus (“friend of God,” literally) and other readers with certainty about earlier teachings they have received.
- 1:5–2:52 Like the Gospel according to Matthew, this gospel opens with an infancy narrative, a collection of stories about the birth and childhood of Jesus. The narrative uses early Christian traditions about the birth of Jesus, traditions about the birth and circumcision of John the Baptist, and canticles such as the Magnificat (Lk 1:46–55) and Benedictus (Lk 1:67–79), composed of phrases drawn from the Greek Old Testament. It is largely, however, the composition of Luke who writes in imitation of Old Testament birth stories, combining historical and legendary details, literary ornamentation and interpretation of scripture, to answer in advance the question, “Who is Jesus Christ?” The focus of the narrative, therefore, is primarily christological. In this section Luke announces many of the themes that will become prominent in the rest of the gospel: the centrality of Jerusalem and the temple, the journey motif, the universality of salvation, joy and peace, concern for the lowly, the importance of women, the presentation of Jesus as savior, Spirit-guided revelation and prophecy, and the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The account presents parallel scenes (diptychs) of angelic announcements of the birth of John the Baptist and of Jesus, and of the birth, circumcision, and presentation of John and Jesus. In this parallelism, the ascendency of Jesus over John is stressed: John is prophet of the Most High (Lk 1:76); Jesus is Son of the Most High (Lk 1:32). John is great in the sight of the Lord (Lk 1:15); Jesus will be Great (a LXX attribute, used absolutely, of God) (Lk 1:32). John will go before the Lord (Lk 1:16–17); Jesus will be Lord (Lk 1:43; 2:11).
- 1:5 In the days of Herod, King of Judea: Luke relates the story of salvation history to events in contemporary world history. Here and in Lk 3:1–2 he connects his narrative with events in Palestinian history; in Lk 2:1–2 and Lk 3:1 he casts the Jesus story in the light of events of Roman history. Herod the Great, the son of the Idumean Antipater, was declared “King of Judea” by the Roman Senate in 40 B.C., but became the undisputed ruler of Palestine only in 37 B.C. He continued as king until his death in 4 B.C. Priestly division of Abijah: a reference to the eighth of the twenty-four divisions of priests who, for a week at a time, twice a year, served in the Jerusalem temple.
- 1:7 They had no child: though childlessness was looked upon in contemporaneous Judaism as a curse or punishment for sin, it is intended here to present Elizabeth in a situation similar to that of some of the great mothers of important Old Testament figures: Sarah (Gn 15:3; 16:1); Rebekah (Gn 25:21); Rachel (Gn 29:31; 30:1); the mother of Samson and wife of Manoah (Jgs 13:2–3); Hannah (1 Sm 1:2).
- 1:13 Do not be afraid: a stereotyped Old Testament phrase spoken to reassure the recipient of a heavenly vision (Gn 15:1; Jos 1:9; Dn 10:12, 19 and elsewhere in Lk 1:30; 2:10). You shall name him John: the name means “Yahweh has shown favor,” an indication of John’s role in salvation history.
- 1:15 He will drink neither wine nor strong drink: like Samson (Jgs 13:4–5) and Samuel (1 Sm 1:11 LXX and 4QSama), John is to be consecrated by Nazirite vow and set apart for the Lord’s service.
- 1:17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah: John is to be the messenger sent before Yahweh, as described in Mal 3:1–2. He is cast, moreover, in the role of the Old Testament fiery reformer, the prophet Elijah, who according to Mal 3:23 (Mal 4:5) is sent before “the great and terrible day of the Lord comes.”
- 1:19 I am Gabriel: “the angel of the Lord” is identified as Gabriel, the angel who in Dn 9:20–25 announces the seventy weeks of years and the coming of an anointed one, a prince. By alluding to Old Testament themes in Lk 1:17, 19 such as the coming of the day of the Lord and the dawning of the messianic era, Luke is presenting his interpretation of the significance of the births of John and Jesus.
- 1:20 You will be speechless and unable to talk: Zechariah’s becoming mute is the sign given in response to his question in v 18. When Mary asks a similar question in Lk 1:34, unlike Zechariah who was punished for his doubt, she, in spite of her doubt, is praised and reassured (Lk 1:35–37).
- 1:26–38 The announcement to Mary of the birth of Jesus is parallel to the announcement to Zechariah of the birth of John. In both the angel Gabriel appears to the parent who is troubled by the vision (Lk 1:11–12, 26–29) and then told by the angel not to fear (Lk 1:13, 30). After the announcement is made (Lk 1:14–17, 31–33) the parent objects (Lk 1:18, 34) and a sign is given to confirm the announcement (Lk 1:20, 36). The particular focus of the announcement of the birth of Jesus is on his identity as Son of David (Lk 1:32–33) and Son of God (Lk 1:32, 35).
- 1:32 Son of the Most High: cf. Lk 1:76 where John is described as “prophet of the Most High.” “Most High” is a title for God commonly used by Luke (Lk 1:35, 76; 6:35; 8:28; Acts 7:48; 16:17).
- 1:34 Mary’s questioning response is a denial of sexual relations and is used by Luke to lead to the angel’s declaration about the Spirit’s role in the conception of this child (Lk 1:35). According to Luke, the virginal conception of Jesus takes place through the holy Spirit, the power of God, and therefore Jesus has a unique relationship to Yahweh: he is Son of God.
- 1:36–37 The sign given to Mary in confirmation of the angel’s announcement to her is the pregnancy of her aged relative Elizabeth. If a woman past the childbearing age could become pregnant, why, the angel implies, should there be doubt about Mary’s pregnancy, for nothing will be impossible for God.
- 1:43 Even before his birth, Jesus is identified in Luke as the Lord.
- 1:45 Blessed are you who believed: Luke portrays Mary as a believer whose faith stands in contrast to the disbelief of Zechariah (Lk 1:20). Mary’s role as believer in the infancy narrative should be seen in connection with the explicit mention of her presence among “those who believed” after the resurrection at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 1:14).
- 1:46–55 Although Mary is praised for being the mother of the Lord and because of her belief, she reacts as the servant in a psalm of praise, the Magnificat. Because there is no specific connection of the canticle to the context of Mary’s pregnancy and her visit to Elizabeth, the Magnificat (with the possible exception of v 48) may have been a Jewish Christian hymn that Luke found appropriate at this point in his story. Even if not composed by Luke, it fits in well with themes found elsewhere in Luke: joy and exultation in the Lord; the lowly being singled out for God’s favor; the reversal of human fortunes; the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. The loose connection between the hymn and the context is further seen in the fact that a few Old Latin manuscripts identify the speaker of the hymn as Elizabeth, even though the overwhelming textual evidence makes Mary the speaker.
- 1:57–66 The birth and circumcision of John above all emphasize John’s incorporation into the people of Israel by the sign of the covenant (Gn 17:1–12). The narrative of John’s circumcision also prepares the way for the subsequent description of the circumcision of Jesus in Lk 2:21. At the beginning of his two-volume work Luke shows those who play crucial roles in the inauguration of Christianity to be wholly a part of the people of Israel. At the end of the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 21:20; 22:3; 23:6–9; 24:14–16; 26:2–8, 22–23) he will argue that Christianity is the direct descendant of Pharisaic Judaism.
- 1:59 The practice of Palestinian Judaism at this time was to name the child at birth; moreover, though naming a male child after the father is not completely unknown, the usual practice was to name the child after the grandfather (see Lk 1:61). The naming of the child John and Zechariah’s recovery from his loss of speech should be understood as fulfilling the angel’s announcement to Zechariah in Lk 1:13, 20.
- 1:68–79 Like the canticle of Mary (Lk 1:46–55) the canticle of Zechariah is only loosely connected with its context. Apart from Lk 1:76–77, the hymn in speaking of a horn for our salvation (Lk 1:69) and the daybreak from on high (Lk 1:78) applies more closely to Jesus and his work than to John. Again like Mary’s canticle, it is largely composed of phrases taken from the Greek Old Testament and may have been a Jewish Christian hymn of praise that Luke adapted to fit the present context by inserting Lk 1:76–77 to give Zechariah’s reply to the question asked in Lk 1:66.
- 1:69 A horn for our salvation: the horn is a common Old Testament figure for strength (Ps 18:3; 75:5–6; 89:18; 112:9; 148:14). This description is applied to God in Ps 18:3 and is here transferred to Jesus. The connection of the phrase with the house of David gives the title messianic overtones and may indicate an allusion to a phrase in Hannah’s song of praise (1 Sm 2:10), “the horn of his anointed.”
- 1:76 You will go before the Lord: here the Lord is most likely a reference to Jesus (contrast Lk 1:15–17 where Yahweh is meant) and John is presented as the precursor of Jesus.
- 1:78 The daybreak from on high: three times in the LXX (Jer 23:5; Zec 3:8; 6:12), the Greek word used here for daybreak translates the Hebrew word for “scion, branch,” an Old Testament messianic title.
Lucas 1
Palabra de Dios para Todos
Lucas escribe sobre la vida de Jesús
1 Muchos ya han intentado contar la historia de los eventos que se cumplieron entre nosotros. 2 Escribieron lo que aprendimos de aquellos que desde el principio vieron lo que sucedió y servían a Dios anunciando a otros su mensaje. 3 Yo mismo, excelentísimo Teófilo, he investigado todo cuidadosamente de principio a fin, y decidí escribírtelo en orden 4 para que tengas la certeza de que lo que te han enseñado es verdad.
Anuncio del nacimiento de Juan el Bautista
5 En los tiempos del rey Herodes de Judea había un sacerdote llamado Zacarías, del grupo de Abías[a]. La esposa de Zacarías se llamaba Elisabet y venía de la familia de Aarón. 6 Los dos hacían el bien ante los ojos de Dios, cumpliendo sin falta las leyes y los mandatos del Señor. 7 No tenían hijos, porque Elisabet era estéril y además ambos ya eran ancianos.
8 Un día Zacarías estaba cumpliendo sus deberes de sacerdote ante Dios, porque a su grupo le tocaba el turno de servir en el templo. 9 De acuerdo con la costumbre de los sacerdotes le tocó en suerte a Zacarías entrar al templo del Señor y ofrecer el incienso. 10 Había mucha gente orando afuera del templo a la hora de ofrecer el incienso. 11 Entonces un ángel del Señor se le apareció a Zacarías. El ángel estaba de pie a la derecha del altar del incienso. 12 Al ver al ángel, Zacarías se inquietó y tuvo miedo. 13 Entonces el ángel le dijo:
—No tengas miedo, Zacarías, que Dios ha escuchado tus oraciones y Elisabet, tu esposa, tendrá un hijo, a quien le pondrás por nombre Juan. 14 Estarán felices y llenos de alegría y muchos se alegrarán por su nacimiento. 15 Juan será un gran hombre ante los ojos de Dios. No tomará vino ni ninguna bebida alcohólica. Aun antes de su nacimiento estará lleno del Espíritu Santo. 16 Juan hará que muchos israelitas se vuelvan al Señor su Dios. 17 Con el mismo poder espiritual de Elías, él preparará el camino para el Señor. Hará las paces entre padres e hijos y hará que los que no obedecen a Dios cambien y piensen como él manda. Así Juan preparará al pueblo para que esté bien dispuesto cuando el Señor venga.
18 Entonces Zacarías le dijo al ángel:
—¿Cómo puedo estar seguro de que esto pasará? Yo ya soy viejo y mi esposa tampoco es joven.
19 El ángel le respondió:
—Yo soy Gabriel y estoy a las órdenes del Señor. Él me mandó a hablar contigo para darte esta buena noticia. 20 Pero ahora, no podrás hablar hasta el día en que esto ocurra. Quedarás mudo por no creer lo que te dije, pero todo se cumplirá en el momento apropiado.
21 El pueblo estaba esperando a Zacarías. Se extrañaban porque se demoraba mucho en el templo. 22 Cuando salió, no podía hablarles. Se dieron cuenta de que él había visto una visión en el templo. Zacarías les hacía señas, pero seguía sin poder hablar.
23 Cuando terminó su tiempo de servicio, se fue a su casa. 24 Poco tiempo después, su esposa Elisabet quedó embarazada y no salió de su casa por cinco meses. Ella pensaba: 25 «¡Qué bueno ha sido el Señor conmigo! Él me ayudó y ahora la gente ya no me despreciará por no poder tener hijos».
Anuncio del nacimiento de Jesús
26 Al sexto mes de embarazo de Elisabet, Dios envió al ángel Gabriel a un pueblo de Galilea llamado Nazaret. 27 El ángel se le apareció a una joven llamada María, una virgen comprometida para casarse con un hombre llamado José, de la familia de David. 28 El ángel entró al lugar donde estaba la joven y le dijo:
—¡Hola! El Señor está contigo y quiere bendecirte.
29 Pero lo que dijo el ángel la dejó muy confundida y se preguntaba qué podría significar esto. 30 El ángel le dijo:
—No tengas miedo, María, porque Dios está contento contigo. 31 ¡Escúchame! Quedarás embarazada y tendrás un hijo a quien le pondrás por nombre Jesús. 32 Tu hijo será un gran hombre, será llamado el Hijo del Altísimo y el Señor Dios lo hará rey, como a su antepasado David. 33 Reinará por siempre sobre todo el pueblo de Jacob y su reinado no tendrá fin.
34 Entonces María le dijo al ángel:
—¿Cómo puede suceder esto? Nunca he estado con ningún hombre.
35 El ángel le contestó:
—El Espíritu Santo vendrá sobre ti y el poder del Altísimo te cubrirá con su sombra. Por eso al niño santo que va a nacer se le llamará Hijo de Dios. 36 También escucha esto: tu pariente Elisabet, aunque es de edad avanzada, tendrá un hijo. Decían que no podía tener hijos; sin embargo, está en el sexto mes de embarazo. 37 ¡Para Dios nada es imposible!
38 María dijo:
—Soy sierva del Señor, que esto suceda tal como lo has dicho.
Y el ángel se retiró.
María visita a Elisabet
39 Entonces, María se levantó y se fue de prisa hacia los cerros, a un pueblo de Judea. 40 Fue a la casa de Zacarías y saludó a Elisabet. 41 Cuando Elisabet escuchó el saludo de María, el bebé saltó dentro de ella. Entonces Elisabet se llenó del Espíritu Santo, y 42 gritó:
—¡Dios te ha bendecido más que a todas las mujeres, y ha bendecido al bebé que tendrás! 43 ¿Quién soy yo para que la mamá de mi Señor venga a verme? 44 Cuando oí tu saludo, el bebé dentro de mí saltó de alegría. 45 El Señor te bendecirá porque creíste que sucedería lo que él te dijo.
María alaba a Dios
46 Entonces María dijo:
«Alabo al Señor con todo mi corazón.
47 Me alegro muchísimo en Dios, mi Salvador,
48 porque él tomó en cuenta a su humilde sierva.
De ahora en adelante todo el mundo dirá que Dios me ha bendecido,
49 porque el Poderoso ha hecho grandes cosas por mí.
¡Su nombre es santo!
50 Su compasión para quienes lo respetan
nunca falla.
51 Con su gran poder ha hecho obras grandiosas:
dispersó a los orgullosos que se creen mucho.
52 Dios humilló a los gobernantes,
y colocó en lugar de honor a los humildes.
53 Les dio comida a los hambrientos
y despidió a los ricos con las manos vacías.
54 Vino a ayudar a su siervo Israel.
No olvidó su promesa de mostrarnos compasión,
55 tal como se lo prometió a nuestros antepasados,
a Abraham y a sus hijos para siempre».
56 María estuvo con Elisabet alrededor de tres meses y luego regresó a su casa.
Nacimiento de Juan el Bautista
57 Cuando llegó el momento de dar a luz, Elisabet tuvo un hijo. 58 Sus vecinos y parientes se alegraron con ella al escuchar que el Señor había sido tan bueno con ella. 59 A los ocho días de nacido, cuando el niño iba a ser circuncidado, vinieron, y querían ponerle por nombre Zacarías, como su papá. 60 Pero la mamá levantó la voz y dijo:
—¡No! Su nombre debe ser Juan.
61 Ellos le dijeron:
—Ninguno de tus familiares se llama así.
62 Entonces, por señas le preguntaron a Zacarías qué nombre le quería poner a su hijo. 63 Pidió que le trajeran una tabla en la que escribió: «Su nombre es Juan». Todos se quedaron atónitos. 64 Inmediatamente se le soltó la lengua y empezó a hablar y a alabar al Señor. 65 Todos los vecinos se atemorizaron. Se corrió la voz de lo sucedido por toda la región montañosa donde vivían en Judea. 66 La gente se preguntaba: «¿Qué llegará a ser este niño?» Porque estaba claro que el poder del Señor estaba con él.
Zacarías alaba a Dios
67 Entonces Zacarías, el papá del niño, se llenó del Espíritu Santo y profetizó:
68 «Bendito sea el Señor, Dios de Israel,
porque ha venido a ayudar a su pueblo y a liberarlo.
69 Nos ha dado un Salvador poderoso
de la familia de su siervo David,
70 tal como lo prometió en el pasado
por medio de sus santos profetas.
71 Prometió salvarnos de nuestros enemigos
y del poder de todos los que nos odian.
72 También prometió que tendría compasión de nuestros antepasados
y que no olvidaría el pacto santo que hizo con ellos.
73 El pacto era la promesa que le hizo
a nuestro antepasado Abraham.
Prometió liberarnos
74 del poder de nuestros enemigos
para que podamos adorarle sin ningún temor.
75 Dios quiere que le adoremos con un corazón puro
y que practiquemos la justicia toda nuestra vida.
76 »En cuanto a ti, hijito mío, te llamarán profeta del Dios Altísimo.
Irás delante del Señor para prepararle el camino.
77 Tú le anunciarás a su pueblo que él los salvará
por medio del perdón de sus pecados.
78 »Porque por el amor y la compasión de Dios,
nos mandará del cielo un nuevo día.
79 Iluminará a los que viven en la oscuridad
atemorizados por la muerte.
Su luz guiará nuestros pasos
hacia el camino que lleva a la paz».
80 El niño crecía y se fortalecía espiritualmente[b]. Vivió en el desierto[c] hasta el día en que se presentó ante el pueblo de Israel.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
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