Introduction

Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the things [a](A)accomplished among us, 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, 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; so that you may know the exact truth about the [f]things you have been [g](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 [h]Abijah; and he had a wife [i]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both (M)righteous in the sight of God, walking (N)blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. And yet they had no child, because Elizabeth was infertile, and they were both advanced in [j]years.

Now it happened that while (O)he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 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.”

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 Now in the sixth month the angel (AG)Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named (AH)Nazareth, 27 to (AI)a virgin [r]betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, (AJ)of the [s]descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was [t]Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord [u]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 give birth to a son, and you (AM)shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (AN)the Most High; and the 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 His kingdom will have no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I [v]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; for that reason also (AT)the [w]holy Child will be called (AU)the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and [x]she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. 37 For (AV)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now [y]at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to (AW)the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 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 [z]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 [aa]believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her [ab]by the Lord.”

Mary’s Song: The Magnificat

46 And Mary said:

(BA)My soul [ac](BB)exalts the Lord,
47 And (BC)my spirit has rejoiced in (BD)God my Savior.
48 For (BE)He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant;
For behold, from now on all generations will [ad]call 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 to generation [ae]after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 (BH)He has done [af]mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the [ag]thoughts of their hearts.
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 the rich away empty-handed.
54 He has given help to His servant Israel,
[ah]In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (BK)Just as He spoke to our fathers,
(BL)To Abraham and his [ai]descendants forever.”

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

John the Baptist Is Born

57 Now the time [aj]had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had [ak](BM)displayed 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, [al]after his father. 60 And yet his mother responded and said, “No indeed; 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 [am](BP)made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote [an]as follows, “(BQ)His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 64 (BR)And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God. 65 And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in (BS)the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For indeed (BT)the hand of the Lord was 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 Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished (BX)redemption for His people,
69 And has raised up a (BY)horn of salvation for us
In the house of (BZ)His servant David—
70 (CA)Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets (CB)from ancient times—
71 [ao](CC)Salvation (CD)from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72 (CE)To show mercy to our fathers,
(CF)And to remember His holy covenant,
73 (CG)The oath which He swore to our father Abraham,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Would serve Him without fear,
75 (CH)In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76 And you, child, also will be called the (CI)prophet of (CJ)the Most High;
For you will go on (CK)before the Lord to (CL)prepare His ways;
77 To give His people the knowledge of salvation
[ap]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 on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the (CP)way of peace.”

80 (CQ)Now the child grew and was becoming strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem

Now in those days a decree went out from (CR)Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of (CS)all [aq]the inhabited earth. [ar]This was the first census taken while [as]Quirinius was governor of (CT)Syria. And all the people were on their way to register for the census, each to his own city. Now Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because (CU)he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was [at]betrothed to him, and was pregnant. While they were there, the [au]time came for her to give birth. And she (CV)gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a [av]manger, because there was no [aw]room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And (CW)an angel of the Lord suddenly (CX)stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. 10 And so the angel said to them, “(CY)Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; 11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a (CZ)Savior, who is [ax](DA)Christ (DB)the Lord. 12 And (DC)this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a [ay]manger.” 13 And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly [az]army of angels praising God and saying,

14 (DD)Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among people [ba](DE)with whom He is pleased.”

15 When the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem, then, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the [bb]manger. 17 When they had seen Him, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. 18 And all who heard it were amazed about the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary (DF)treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds went back, (DG)glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

21 And when (DH)eight days were completed [bc]so that it was time for His circumcision, (DI)He was also named Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

22 (DJ)And when the days for [bd]their purification according to the Law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “(DK)Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what has been stated in the Law of the Lord: “(DL)A pair of turtledoves or two young doves.”

25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was (DM)righteous and devout, (DN)looking forward to the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And (DO)it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not (DP)see death before he had seen the Lord’s [be]Christ. 27 And he came [bf]by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, [bg](DQ)to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29 “Now, Lord, You are letting Your bond-servant depart in peace,
(DR)According to Your word;
30 For my eyes have (DS)seen Your salvation,
31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all the peoples:
32 (DT)A light for revelation [bh]for the Gentiles,
And the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And His father and (DU)mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to (DV)His mother Mary, “Behold, this Child is appointed for (DW)the fall and [bi]rise of many in Israel, and as a sign to be [bj]opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

36 And there was a (DX)prophetess, [bk]Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of (DY)the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in [bl]years (DZ)and had lived with her husband for seven years after her [bm]marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She did not leave the temple grounds, serving night and day with (EA)fasts and prayers. 38 And at that very [bn]moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak about Him to all those who were (EB)looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Return to Nazareth

39 And when His parents had completed everything in accordance with the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to (EC)their own city of Nazareth. 40 (ED)Now the Child continued to grow and to become strong, [bo]increasing in wisdom; and the favor of God was upon Him.

Visit to Jerusalem

41 His parents went to Jerusalem every year at (EE)the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up there according to the custom of the feast; 43 and as they were returning, after spending the (EF)full number of days required, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents were unaware of it. 44 Instead, they thought that He was somewhere in the caravan, and they went a day’s journey; and then they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 And when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for Him. 46 Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard Him (EG)were amazed at His understanding and His answers. 48 When Joseph and Mary saw Him, they were bewildered; and (EH)His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, (EI)Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You!” 49 And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that (EJ)I had to be in My Father’s [bp]house?” 50 And yet (EK)they on their part did not understand the statement which He had [bq]made to them. 51 And He went down with them and came to (EL)Nazareth, and He continued to be subject to them; and (EM)His mother (EN)treasured all these [br]things in her heart.

52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and [bs]stature, and in (EO)favor with God and people.

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 I.e., gospel
  5. Luke 1:3 Or followed
  6. Luke 1:4 Lit words
  7. Luke 1:4 Or orally instructed in
  8. Luke 1:5 Gr Abia
  9. Luke 1:5 I.e., of priestly descent
  10. Luke 1:7 Lit days
  11. Luke 1:12 Lit fell upon
  12. Luke 1:13 Lit call his name
  13. Luke 1:15 Lit still from his
  14. Luke 1:18 Lit days
  15. Luke 1:19 Lit stand beside
  16. Luke 1:22 Possibly gesturing or nodding to them
  17. Luke 1:24 Or hidden
  18. Luke 1:27 Unlike engagement, a betrothed couple was considered married, but did not yet live together
  19. Luke 1:27 Lit house
  20. Luke 1:27 Gr Mariam, Heb Miriam; so throughout Luke
  21. Luke 1:28 Or be
  22. Luke 1:34 Lit do not know a man
  23. Luke 1:35 Lit the holy one fathered
  24. Luke 1:36 Lit this is the sixth month for her who
  25. Luke 1:39 Lit in these days
  26. Luke 1:43 Lit from where this to me
  27. Luke 1:45 Or believed, because there will be
  28. Luke 1:45 Lit from
  29. Luke 1:46 Lit makes great
  30. Luke 1:48 Or consider
  31. Luke 1:50 Lit and
  32. Luke 1:51 Lit might
  33. Luke 1:51 Lit thought, attitude
  34. Luke 1:54 Lit So as to remember
  35. Luke 1:55 Lit seed
  36. Luke 1:57 Lit was fulfilled
  37. Luke 1:58 Lit magnified His mercy with her
  38. Luke 1:59 Lit after the name of
  39. Luke 1:62 I.e., gestured or nodded
  40. Luke 1:63 Lit saying
  41. Luke 1:71 Or Deliverance
  42. Luke 1:77 Or Consisting in
  43. Luke 2:1 I.e., the Roman Empire
  44. Luke 2:2 Or This took place as a first census
  45. Luke 2:2 Gr Kyrenios
  46. Luke 2:5 Unlike engagement, a betrothed couple was considered married, but did not yet live together
  47. Luke 2:6 Lit days were completed
  48. Luke 2:7 Or feeding trough
  49. Luke 2:7 Or space
  50. Luke 2:11 I.e., the Messiah
  51. Luke 2:12 Or feeding trough
  52. Luke 2:13 Or host
  53. Luke 2:14 Lit of good pleasure; or of goodwill
  54. Luke 2:16 Or feeding trough
  55. Luke 2:21 Lit so as to circumcise Him
  56. Luke 2:22 I.e., Mary’s, with Joseph’s support
  57. Luke 2:26 I.e., Messiah
  58. Luke 2:27 Or in
  59. Luke 2:27 Lit to do for Him according to
  60. Luke 2:32 Lit of the Gentiles
  61. Luke 2:34 Or resurrection
  62. Luke 2:34 Or refused
  63. Luke 2:36 Or Hannah
  64. Luke 2:36 Lit days
  65. Luke 2:36 Lit virginity
  66. Luke 2:38 Lit hour
  67. Luke 2:40 Lit becoming full of
  68. Luke 2:49 Or affairs; or business; lit in the things of My Father
  69. Luke 2:50 Lit spoken
  70. Luke 2:51 Lit words
  71. Luke 2:52 Or age

Introduction

Since [as is well known] many have undertaken to compile an orderly account of the things which have been fulfilled among us [by God], exactly as they were handed down to us by those [with personal experience] who from the beginning [of Christ’s ministry] were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word [that is, of the teaching concerning salvation through faith in Christ], it seemed fitting for [a]me as well, [and so I have decided] after having carefully searched out and investigated all the events accurately, from the very beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus;(A) so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been [b]taught [that is, the history and doctrine of the faith].

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

In the days of Herod [the Great], king of Judea, there was a certain priest whose name was [c]Zacharias, of [d]the division of Abijah. His wife was [e]a descendant of Aaron [the first high priest of Israel], and her name was Elizabeth. They both were righteous (approved) in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. But they were childless, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both far advanced in years.

Now it happened while Zacharias was serving as priest before God in the appointed order of his priestly division, as was the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter [the sanctuary of] the temple of the Lord and [f]burn incense [on the altar of incense].(B) 10 And all the congregation was praying outside [in the court of the temple] at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your petition [in prayer] was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him [g]John. 14 You will have great joy and delight, and many will rejoice over his birth, 15 for he will be great and distinguished in the sight of the Lord; and will never drink wine or liquor, and he will be filled with and empowered to act by the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb.(C) 16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”(D)

18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I be certain of this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in age.” 19 The angel replied and said to him, “I am Gabriel; I stand and minister in the [very] presence of God, and I have been sent [by Him] to speak to you and to bring you this good news.(E) 20 [h]Listen carefully, you will be continually silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe what I told you; but my words will be fulfilled at their proper time.”

21 The people [outside in the court] were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering about his long delay in the temple. 22 But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When his time of priestly service was finished, he returned to his home.

24 Now after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she secluded herself completely, saying, 25 “This is how the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor on me, to take away my [i]disgrace among men.”(F)

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin [j]betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, the angel said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at what he said, and kept carefully considering what kind of greeting this was. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Listen carefully: you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and eminent and 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 (Israel) forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.”(G) 34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin and have no intimacy with any man?” 35 Then the angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a cloud]; for that reason the holy (pure, sinless) Child shall be called the Son of God.(H) 36 And listen, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 For with God nothing [is or ever] shall be impossible.” 38 Then Mary said, “[k]Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now at this time Mary arose and hurried to the hill country, to a city of Judah (Judea), 40 and she entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, her baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him. 42 And she exclaimed loudly, “Blessed [worthy to be praised] are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed [spiritually fortunate and favored by God] is she who believed and confidently trusted that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her [by the angel sent] from the Lord.”

The Magnificat

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies and exalts the Lord,
47 
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
48 
“For He has looked [with loving care] on the humble state of His maidservant;
For behold, from now on all generations will count me blessed and happy and favored by God!
49 
“For He who is mighty has done great things for me;
And holy is His name [to be worshiped in His purity, majesty, and glory].
50 
And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who [stand in great awe of God and] fear Him.(I)
51 
“He has done mighty deeds with His [powerful] arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
52 
“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And exalted those who were humble.
53 
He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54 
“He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,
55 
Just as He promised to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his descendants forever.”(J)

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

John Is Born

57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown His great mercy toward her, and they were rejoicing with her.

59 It happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child [as required by the Law], and they intended to name him Zacharias, after his father;(K) 60 but his mother answered, “No indeed; instead he will be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by that name.” 62 Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished. 64 At once Zacharias’ mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking, praising and blessing and thanking God. 65 Then fear came on all their neighbors; and all these things were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this little boy turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him [to bring about his birth].

Zacharias’ Prophecy

67 Now Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit and empowered by Him, and he prophesied, saying,

68 
“Blessed (praised, glorified) be the Lord, the God of Israel,
Because He has visited us and brought redemption to His people,
69 
And He has raised up a [l]horn of salvation [a mighty and valiant Savior] for us
In the house of David His servant—
70 
Just as He promised by the mouth of His holy prophets from the most ancient times—
71 
Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;(L)
72 
To show mercy [as He promised] to our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant [the promised blessing],
73 
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 
In holiness [being set apart] and righteousness [being upright] before Him all our days.
76 
“And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on before the Lord (the Messiah) to prepare His ways;(M)
77 
To give His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,
78 
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise (the Messiah) from on high will dawn and visit us,(N)
79 
To shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
To guide our feet [in a straight line] into the way of peace and serenity.”(O)

80 The child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel [as John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah].

Jesus’ Birth in Bethlehem

Now in those days a decree went out from [the emperor] [m]Caesar Augustus, that all the inhabited world (the Roman Empire) should be [n]registered [in a census]. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone went to register for the census, each to his own city. So Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register with Mary, who was [o]betrothed to him, and was with child.(P) While they were there [in Bethlehem], the time came for her to give birth, and she gave birth to her Son, her firstborn; and she wrapped Him in [[p]swaddling] cloths and laid Him in a [q]manger, because there was no [private] room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone around them, and they were terribly frightened. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for [r]all the people. 11 For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah).(Q) 12 And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find a Baby wrapped in [swaddling] cloths and lying in a manger.”(R) 13 Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host (angelic army) praising God and saying,

14 
“Glory to God in the highest [heaven],
And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.”

15 When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying one to another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem, and see this [wonderful] thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the Baby as He lay in the manger. 17 And when they had seen this, they made known what had been told them about this Child, 18 and all who heard it were astounded and wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, giving careful thought to them and pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

21 At the end of eight days, when He was to be circumcised, He was named Jesus, the name given [to Him] by the angel [Gabriel] before He was conceived in the womb.

22 And when the time for their purification came [that is, the mother’s purification and the baby’s dedication] according to the Law of Moses, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord [set apart as the Firstborn](S) 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy [set apart and dedicated] to the Lord)(T) 24 and [they came also] to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord [to be appropriate for a family of modest means], “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”(U)

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout [carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the [s]Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). 27 Prompted by the Spirit, he came into the temple [enclosure]; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, [t]to do for Him the custom required by the Law, 28 Simeon took Him into his arms, and blessed and praised and thanked God, and said,

29 
“Now, Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to leave [this world] in peace,
According to Your word;
30 
For my eyes have seen Your Salvation,(V)
31 
Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 
A Light for revelation to the Gentiles [to disclose what was previously unknown],
And [to bring] the praise and honor and glory of Your people Israel.”(W)

33 And His [legal] father and His mother were amazed at what was said about Him. 34 Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Listen carefully: this Child is appointed and destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for [u]a sign that is to be opposed—(X) 35 and a sword [of deep sorrow] will pierce through your own soul—so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

36 There was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, and had lived with her husband for seven years after her marriage,(Y) 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She did not leave the [area of the] temple, but was serving and worshiping night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 She, too, came up at that very moment and began praising and giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all who were looking for the redemption and deliverance of Jerusalem.

Return to Nazareth

39 And when they had done everything [in connection with Jesus’ birth] according to the Law of the Lord, they went back to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. 40 And the Child continued to grow and become strong [in spirit], filled with wisdom; and the grace (favor, spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him.(Z)

Visit to Jerusalem

41 Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year for the Passover Feast.(AA) 42 And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the Feast; 43 and as they were returning [to [v]Nazareth], after spending the required number of days [at the Feast], the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem. Now His parents did not know this, 44 but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and traveled a day’s journey; and [then] they began searching [anxiously] for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 When they did not find Him, they went back to Jerusalem looking for Him [everywhere]. 46 Three days later they found Him in the [court of the] temple, sitting among the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 All who heard Him were amazed by His intelligence and His understanding and His answers. 48 When they saw Him, they were overwhelmed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us like this? Listen, Your [w]father and I have been [greatly distressed and] anxiously looking for You.” 49 And He answered, “Why did you have to look for Me? Did you not know that I had to be [x]in My Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what He had said to them. 51 He went down to Nazareth with them, and was continually submissive and obedient to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and men.(AB)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:3 Luke may have been a Gentile. If so, he is the only Gentile author whose work is included in the NT. In addition to The Gospel of Luke, he wrote The Acts of the Apostles, and is thought by some scholars to have been the author of The Letter to the Hebrews.
  2. Luke 1:4 Or orally instructed.
  3. Luke 1:5 I.e. Zechariah. The spelling is different because a Greek word cannot end with an “h,” and in place of “ah” the common Greek ending “-as” was substituted.
  4. Luke 1:5 King David organized the priests into 24 groups or divisions, each headed by a president. A division served twice a year for a week at a time (1 Chr 24:1-19).
  5. Luke 1:5 Lit from the daughters of.
  6. Luke 1:9 I.e. normally a once-in-a-lifetime privilege for a priest.
  7. Luke 1:13 John the Baptist is considered the last of the Old Testament prophets. His mother, Elizabeth, and Mary the mother of Jesus, were related (1:36), and Mary may have been with Elizabeth at the time John was born (1:56). John the Baptist is not to be confused with John the Apostle who, along with his brother James, was among the twelve disciples of Jesus. John and James were the sons of Zebedee and Salome. John the Apostle authored the Gospel of John, three brief letters (1 John, 2 John, 3 John), and Revelation.
  8. Luke 1:20 Lit behold.
  9. Luke 1:25 At this time childlessness was a social stigma.
  10. Luke 1:27 The first stage of marriage (called shiddukin in Hebrew) in Jewish tradition and law, usually lasting for a year before the wedding night; unlike an engagement, it was legally binding and required a divorce to nullify it. The woman remained with her parents during the betrothal year and was referred to as a “wife” even though the marriage was not consummated during this period of time.
  11. Luke 1:38 Mary’s response was significantly different from Zacharias’ (v 18). Zacharias would not take Gabriel’s word, and instead wanted some kind of miraculous sign as proof.
  12. Luke 1:69 In the OT a symbol of strength.
  13. Luke 2:1 Augustus, Rome’s first and possibly greatest emperor was born Gaius Octavius in 63 b.c. He was the great-nephew, adopted son and heir of the dictator, Julius Caesar. Under Augustus’ intelligent leadership (27 b.c.-a.d. 14) Rome entered the period of peace and prosperity known as the Pax Romana.
  14. Luke 2:1 This was the first general census conducted outside Rome that included the people of the Roman provinces.
  15. Luke 2:5 See note 1:27.
  16. Luke 2:7 This was customary among the Jews, and quite comfortable and protective for the baby. Wrapping the baby in strips of cloth was intended to strengthen the back and bones for good growth.
  17. Luke 2:7 I.e. feeding trough for animals.
  18. Luke 2:10 I.e. Gentiles as well as Jews.
  19. Luke 2:25 A Messianic title.
  20. Luke 2:27 I.e. offer the turtledoves as a sacrifice.
  21. Luke 2:34 The rejecting of the Messiah, culminating in the crucifixion.
  22. Luke 2:43 Nazareth of Galilee was about 65 miles north of Jerusalem.
  23. Luke 2:48 Joseph was recognized as the legal father of Jesus.
  24. Luke 2:49 Or occupied with My Father’s business.

Introduction

Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.[a] Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.

The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.[b] 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,[c] and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings,[d] favored woman! The Lord is with you![e]

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel[f] forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.[g]

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise

46 Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47     How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
    to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
    and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
    and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and his children forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. 58 And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

59 When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. 66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior[h]
    from the royal line of his servant David,
70 just as he promised
    through his holy prophets long ago.
71 Now we will be saved from our enemies
    and from all who hate us.
72 He has been merciful to our ancestors
    by remembering his sacred covenant—
73 the covenant he swore with an oath
    to our ancestor Abraham.
74 We have been rescued from our enemies
    so we can serve God without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
    for as long as we live.

76 “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,[i]
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

The Birth of Jesus

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

The Shepherds and Angels

That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Jesus Is Presented in the Temple

21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived.

22 Then it was time for their purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, “If a woman’s first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord.”[j] 24 So they offered the sacrifice required in the law of the Lord—“either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”[k]

The Prophecy of Simeon

25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
    as you have promised.
30 I have seen your salvation,
31     which you have prepared for all people.
32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
    and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

The Prophecy of Anna

36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel from the tribe of Asher, and she was very old. Her husband died when they had been married only seven years. 37 Then she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four.[l] She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about the child to everyone who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem.

39 When Jesus’ parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was on him.

Jesus Speaks with the Teachers

41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends.

45 When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions. 47 All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.

48 His parents didn’t know what to think. “Son,” his mother said to him, “why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere.”

49 “But why did you need to search?” he asked. “Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”[m] 50 But they didn’t understand what he meant.

51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. And his mother stored all these things in her heart.

52 Jesus grew in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and all the people.

Footnotes

  1. 1:2 Greek from those who from the beginning were servants of the word.
  2. 1:15 Or even from birth.
  3. 1:17 See Mal 4:5-6.
  4. 1:28a Or Rejoice.
  5. 1:28b Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women.
  6. 1:33 Greek over the house of Jacob.
  7. 1:37 Some manuscripts read For nothing is impossible with God.
  8. 1:69 Greek has raised up a horn of salvation for us.
  9. 1:78 Or the Morning Light from Heaven is about to visit us.
  10. 2:23 Exod 13:2.
  11. 2:24 Lev 12:8.
  12. 2:37 Or She had been a widow for eighty-four years.
  13. 2:49 Or “Didn’t you realize that I should be involved with my Father’s affairs?”

The Dedication to Theophilus

Many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled[a] among us,(A) just as the original eyewitnesses(B) and servants of the word(C) handed them down to us. It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable(D) Theophilus,(E) so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.[b](F)

Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth

In the days of King Herod(G) of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division[c](H) named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both were righteous in God’s sight,(I) living without blame(J) according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord. But they had no children[d] because Elizabeth could not conceive,[e] and both of them were well along in years.[f]

When his division was on duty(K) and he was serving as priest before God, it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.(L) 10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord(M) appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear.[g] 13 But the angel said to him:

Do not be afraid,(N) Zechariah,
because your prayer has been heard.
Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son,
and you will name him John.(O)
14 There will be joy and delight for you,
and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord
and will never drink wine or beer.(P)
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit
while still in his mother’s womb.(Q)
16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel
to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before Him
in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of fathers
to their children,(R)
and the disobedient
to the understanding of the righteous,
to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.(S)

18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”[h]

19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel,(T) who stands in the presence of God,(U) and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them(V) and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace(W) among the people.”

Gabriel Predicts Jesus’ Birth

26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel(X) was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,(Y) 27 to a virgin engaged(Z) to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.(AA) The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”[i] 29 But she was deeply troubled(AB) by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her:

Do not be afraid, Mary,(AC)
for you have found favor with God.
31 Now listen:
You will conceive and give birth to a son,
and you will call His name Jesus.(AD)
32 He will be great
and will be called the Son of the Most High,(AE)
and the Lord God will give Him
the throne of His father David.(AF)
33 He will reign over the house of Jacob(AG) forever,
and His kingdom will have no end.(AH)

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?”[j]

35 The angel replied to her:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,(AI)
and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore, the holy One to be born
will be called the Son of God.(AJ)

36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”(AK)

38 “I am the Lord’s slave,”[k] said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

Mary’s Visit to Elizabeth

39 In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah 40 where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her,[l] and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.(AL) 42 Then she exclaimed with a loud cry:

“You are the most blessed of women,
and your child will be blessed![m]

43 How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me![n] 45 She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!”

Mary’s Praise

46 And Mary said:

My soul proclaims the greatness of[o] the Lord,(AM)
47 and my spirit has rejoiced(AN) in God my Savior,(AO)
48 because He has looked with favor
on the humble condition of His slave.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed,(AP)
49 because the Mighty One(AQ)
has done great things for me,(AR)
and His name(AS) is holy.
50 His mercy is from generation to generation(AT)
on those who fear Him.
51 He has done a mighty deed with His arm;(AU)
He has scattered the proud
because of the thoughts of their hearts;
52 He has toppled the mighty from their thrones
and exalted the lowly.
53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things(AV)
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped His servant Israel,
mindful of His mercy,[p]
55 just as He spoke to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants[q] forever.

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.

The Birth and Naming of John

57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. 58 Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her His great mercy,[r](AW) and they rejoiced with her.

59 When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day,(AX) they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But his mother responded, “No! He will be called John.”(AY)

61 Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” 62 So they motioned to his father(AZ) to find out what he wanted him to be called. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote:

HIS NAME IS JOHN.

And they were all amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened(BA) and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard about him(BB) took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit(BC) and prophesied:(BD)

68 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,(BE)
because He has visited
and provided redemption for His people.(BF)
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation[s] for us(BG)
in the house of His servant David,(BH)
70 just as He spoke by the mouth
of His holy prophets in ancient times;(BI)
71 salvation from our enemies
and from the clutches[t] of those who hate us.
72 He has dealt mercifully with our fathers(BJ)
and remembered His holy covenant(BK)
73 the oath that He swore to our father Abraham.(BL)
He has given us the privilege,
74 since we have been rescued
from our enemies’ clutches,[u]
to serve Him without fear
75 in holiness and righteousness
in His presence all our days.
76 And child, you will be called
a prophet of the Most High,(BM)
for you will go before the Lord
to prepare His ways,(BN)
77 to give His people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins.(BO)
78 Because of our God’s merciful compassion,
the Dawn from on high(BP) will visit us
79 to shine on those who live in darkness
and the shadow of death,(BQ)
to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80 The child grew up and became spiritually strong,(BR) and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

The Birth of Jesus

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus[v](BS) that the whole empire[w] should be registered. This first registration took place while[x] Quirinius was governing Syria.(BT) So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

And Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David,(BU) to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him[y] and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place.

The Shepherds and the Angels

In the same region, shepherds were staying out in the fields and keeping watch at night over their flock. Then an angel of the Lord(BV) stood before[z] them,(BW) and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.[aa] 10 But the angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid,(BX) for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:[ab] 11 Today a Savior,(BY) who is Messiah(BZ) the Lord,(CA) was born for you in the city of David. 12 This will be the sign for you:(CB) You will find a baby wrapped snugly in cloth and lying in a feeding trough.”

13 Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying:

14 Glory to God in the highest heaven,(CC)
and peace on earth(CD) to people He favors![ac][ad](CE)

15 When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

16 They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the feeding trough. 17 After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary was treasuring up all these things[ae] in her heart(CF) and meditating on them. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God(CG) for all they had seen and heard, just as they had been told.

The Circumcision and Presentation of Jesus

21 When the eight days were completed for His circumcision,(CH) He was named Jesus(CI)—the name given by the angel before He was conceived.[af] 22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were finished,(CJ) they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male[ag] will be dedicated[ah] to the Lord(CK)[ai]) 24 and to offer a sacrifice (according to what is stated in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons(CL)[aj]).

Simeon’s Prophetic Praise

25 There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. This man was righteous and devout,(CM) looking forward to Israel’s consolation,[ak](CN) and the Holy Spirit was on him. 26 It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit(CO) that he would not see death before he saw the Lord’s Messiah.(CP) 27 Guided by the Spirit, he entered[al] the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, 28 Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said:

29 Now, Master,
You can dismiss Your slave in peace,
as You promised.
30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation.(CQ)
31 You have prepared it
in the presence of all peoples—
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles[am](CR)
and glory to Your people Israel.(CS)

33 His father and mother[an] were amazed at what was being said about Him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and told His mother Mary: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel(CT) and to be a sign that will be opposed[ao] 35 and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts[ap] of many hearts may be revealed.”

Anna’s Testimony

36 There was also a prophetess,(CU) Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.(CV) She was well along in years,[aq] having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,[ar](CW) 37 and was a widow for 84 years.[as] She did not leave the temple complex, serving God night and day with fasting and prayers.(CX) 38 At that very moment,[at] she came up and began to thank God and to speak about Him to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.[au](CY)

The Family’s Return to Nazareth

39 When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.(CZ) 40 The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him.(DA)

In His Father’s House

41 Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival.(DB) 42 When He was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.(DC) 43 After those days were over,(DD) as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents[av] did not know it. 44 Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. 46 After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. 48 When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him,(DE) “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”(DF)

49 “Why were you searching for Me?” He asked them. “Didn’t you know that I had to be in My Father’s house?”[aw] 50 But they did not understand what He said to them.(DG)

In Favor with God and with People

51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.(DH) 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.(DI)

Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:1 Or events that have been accomplished, or events most surely believed
  2. Luke 1:4 Or informed
  3. Luke 1:5 One of the 24 divisions of priests appointed by David for temple service; 1Ch 24:10
  4. Luke 1:7 Lit child
  5. Luke 1:7 Lit Elizabeth was sterile or barren
  6. Luke 1:7 Lit in their days
  7. Luke 1:12 Lit and fear fell on him
  8. Luke 1:18 Lit in her days
  9. Luke 1:28 Other mss add blessed are you among women
  10. Luke 1:34 Lit since I do not know a man
  11. Luke 1:38 Lit Look, the Lord’s slave
  12. Luke 1:41 Lit leaped in her abdomen or womb
  13. Luke 1:42 Lit and the fruit of your abdomen (or womb) is blessed
  14. Luke 1:44 Lit in my abdomen or womb
  15. Luke 1:46 Or soul magnifies
  16. Luke 1:54 Because He remembered His mercy; Ps 98:3
  17. Luke 1:55 Or offspring; lit seed
  18. Luke 1:58 Lit the Lord magnified His mercy with her
  19. Luke 1:69 = a strong Savior
  20. Luke 1:71 Lit the hand
  21. Luke 1:74 Lit from the hand of enemies
  22. Luke 2:1 Emperor who ruled the Roman Empire 27 b.c.–a.d. 14; also known as Octavian, he established the peaceful era known as the Pax Romana; Caesar was a title of Roman emperors.
  23. Luke 2:1 Or the whole inhabited world
  24. Luke 2:2 Or This registration was the first while, or This registration was before
  25. Luke 2:5 Other mss read was his engaged wife
  26. Luke 2:9 Or Lord appeared to
  27. Luke 2:9 Lit they feared a great fear
  28. Luke 2:10 Or the whole nation
  29. Luke 2:14 Other mss read earth good will to people
  30. Luke 2:14 Or earth to men of good will
  31. Luke 2:19 Lit these words
  32. Luke 2:21 Or conceived in the womb
  33. Luke 2:23 Lit “Every male that opens a womb
  34. Luke 2:23 Lit be called holy
  35. Luke 2:23 Ex 13:2,12
  36. Luke 2:24 Lv 5:11; 12:8
  37. Luke 2:25 The coming of the Messiah with His salvation for the nation; Is 40:1; 61:2; Lk 2:26,30
  38. Luke 2:27 Lit And in the Spirit, he came into
  39. Luke 2:32 Or the nations
  40. Luke 2:33 Other mss read But Joseph and His mother
  41. Luke 2:34 Or spoken against
  42. Luke 2:35 Or schemes
  43. Luke 2:36 Lit in many days
  44. Luke 2:36 Lit years from her virginity
  45. Luke 2:37 Or she was a widow until the age of 84
  46. Luke 2:38 Lit very hour
  47. Luke 2:38 Other mss read in Jerusalem
  48. Luke 2:43 Other mss read but Joseph and His mother
  49. Luke 2:49 Or be involved in My Father’s interests (or things), or be among My Father’s people