¹⁴ You, however, ^(A)continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that ^(B)from childhood you have known ^(C)the sacred writings which are able to ^(D)give you the wisdom that leads to ^(E)salvation through faith which is in ^(F)Christ Jesus. ^16 (G)All Scripture is ^[a]inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for ^[b]rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that ^(H)the man or woman of God may be ^[c]fully capable, ^(I)equipped for every good work.

Preach the Word

4 ^(J)I solemnly exhort you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to ^(K)judge the living and the dead, and by His ^(L)appearing and His kingdom: ² preach ^(M)the word; be ready ^[d]in season and out of season; ^(N)correct, rebuke, and ^[e]exhort, with ^[f]great ^(O)patience and instruction. ³ For ^(P)the time will come when they will not tolerate ^(Q)sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, ⁴ and they ^(R)will turn their ears away from the truth and ^(S)will turn aside to myths. ⁵ But as for you, ^(T)use self-restraint in all things, ^(U)endure hardship, do the work of an ^(V)evangelist, fulfill your ^(W)ministry.

⁶ For I am already being ^(X)poured out as a drink offering, and the time of ^(Y)my departure has come. ^7 (Z)I have fought the good fight, I have finished ^(AA)the course, I have kept ^(AB)the faith; ⁸ in the future there ^(AC)is reserved for me ^(AD)the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on ^(AE)that day; and not only to me, but also to ^(AF)all who have loved His ^(AG)appearing.

Introduction

1 Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the things ^[a](A)accomplished among us, ² just as they were handed down to us by those who ^(B)from the beginning ^[b]were ^(C)eyewitnesses and ^[c](D)servants of ^(E)the ^[d]word, ³ it seemed fitting to me as well, ^(F)having ^[e]investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you ^(G)in an orderly sequence, ^(H)most excellent ^(I)Theophilus; ⁴ so that you may know the exact truth about the ^[f]things you have been ^[g](J)taught.

John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold

^5 (K)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the ^(L)division of ^[h]Abijah; and he had a wife ^[i]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ They were both ^(M)righteous in the sight of God, walking ^(N)blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. ⁷ And yet they had no child, because Elizabeth was infertile, and they were both advanced in ^[j]years.

⁸ Now it happened that while ^(O)he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot ^(P)to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer ^(Q)outside at the hour of the incense offering. ¹¹ Now ^(R)an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. ¹² Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and ^(S)fear ^[k]gripped 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 bear you a son, and ^(U)you shall ^[l]name him John. ¹⁴ You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will ^(V)drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit ^[m]while still in his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will ^(W)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And it is he who will ^(X)go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of ^(Y)Elijah, ^(Z)to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to ^(AA)make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

¹⁸ Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For ^(AB)I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her ^[n]years.” ¹⁹ The angel answered and said to him, “I am ^(AC)Gabriel, who ^[o](AD)stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you will 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 at their proper time.”

²¹ And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²² But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple, and he repeatedly ^(AE)[p]made signs to them, and remained speechless. ²³ When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.

²⁴ Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself ^[q]in seclusion for five months, saying, ²⁵ “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to ^(AF)take away my disgrace among people.”