Luke 1
Contemporary English Version
1 Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. 2 They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. 3 So I made a careful study[a] of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, 4 I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard.
An Angel Tells about the Birth of John
5 (A) When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron.[b] 6 Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. 7 But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old.
8 One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense,[c] 10 while the people stood outside praying.
11 All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12 Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13 But the angel told him:
Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14 His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. 15 (B) Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.
16 John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. 17 (C) He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah[d] had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. This is how John will get people ready for the Lord.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.”
19 (D) The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, God's servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news. 20 You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to.”
21 The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying in the temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing.
23 When Zechariah's time of service in the temple was over, he went home. 24 Soon after this, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself, 25 “What the Lord has done for me will keep people from looking down on me.”[e]
An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus
26 One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee 27 (E) with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. 28 The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. 30 Then the angel told Mary, “Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, 31 (F) and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. 32 (G) He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. 33 He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not even married!”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. 36 Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37 (H) Nothing is impossible for God!”
38 Mary said, “I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42 (I) Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:
God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43 Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Mary's Song of Praise
46 (J) Mary said:
With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
47 and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
48 God cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
49 God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
50 He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
51 The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
52 (K) God drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
53 God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
54 God helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
to his people.
55 (L) The Lord made this promise
to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
forever!
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When Elizabeth's son was born, 58 her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad.
59 (M) Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands.[f] They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.”
61 The people argued, “No one in your family has ever been named John.” 62 So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 At once, Zechariah started speaking and praising God.
65 All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things. 66 Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises the Lord
67 The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:
68 Praise the Lord,
the God of Israel!
He has come
to save his people.
69 Our God has given us
a mighty Savior[g]
from the family
of David his servant.
70 Long ago the Lord promised
by the words
of his holy prophets
71 to save us from our enemies
and from everyone
who hates us.
72 God said he would be kind
to our people and keep
his sacred promise.
73 He told our ancestor Abraham
74 that he would rescue us
from our enemies.
Then we could serve him
without fear,
75 by being holy and good
as long as we live.
76 (N) You, my son, will be called
the prophet of God Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to get everything ready
for him.
77 You will tell his people
that they can be saved
when their sins
are forgiven.
78 God's love and kindness
will shine upon us
like the sun that rises
in the sky.[h]
79 (O) On us who live
in the dark shadow
of death
this light will shine
to guide us
into a life of peace.
80 As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel.
Footnotes
- 1.3 a careful study: Or “a study from the beginning.”
- 1.5 Aaron: The brother of Moses and the first priest.
- 1.9 burn incense: This was done twice a day, once in the morning and again in the late afternoon.
- 1.17 Elijah: The prophet Elijah was known for his power to work miracles.
- 1.25 keep people from looking down on me: When a married woman could not have children, it was thought that the Lord was punishing her.
- 1.59 what the Law of Moses commands: This refers to circumcision. It is the cutting off of skin from the private part of Jewish boys eight days after birth to show that they belong to the Lord.
- 1.69 a mighty Savior: The Greek text has “a horn of salvation.” In the Scriptures animal horns are often a symbol of great strength.
- 1.78 like the sun that rises in the sky: Or “like the Messiah coming from heaven.”
Luke 1
New King James Version
Dedication to Theophilus
1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those (A)things which [a]have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as those who (B)from the beginning were (C)eyewitnesses and ministers of the word (D)delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having [b]had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, (E)most excellent Theophilus, 4 (F)that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias
5 There was (G)in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, (H)of the division of (I)Abijah. His (J)wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, [c]his lot fell (K)to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 (L)And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of (M)the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, (N)he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and (O)you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and (P)many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be (Q)great in the sight of the Lord, and (R)shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, (S)even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 (T)He will also go 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 just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, (U)“How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am (V)Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you [d]these glad (W)tidings. 20 But behold, (X)you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless.
23 So it was, as soon as (Y)the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to (Z)take away my reproach among people.”
Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin (AA)betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, (AB)“Rejoice, highly favored one, (AC)the Lord is with you; [e]blessed are you among women!”
29 But [f]when she saw him, (AD)she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found (AE)favor with God. 31 (AF)And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and (AG)shall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, (AH)and will be called the Son of the Highest; and (AI)the Lord God will give Him the (AJ)throne of His (AK)father David. 33 (AL)And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I [g]do not know a man?”
35 And the angel answered and said to her, (AM)“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called (AN)the Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For (AO)with God nothing will be impossible.”
38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, (AP)to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was (AQ)filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, (AR)“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 (AS)Blessed is she who [h]believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
The Song of Mary
46 And Mary said:
(AT)“My soul [i]magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit has (AU)rejoiced in (AV)God my Savior.
48 For (AW)He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth (AX)all generations will call me blessed.
49 For He who is mighty (AY)has done great things for me,
And (AZ)holy is His name.
50 And (BA)His mercy is on those who fear Him
From generation to generation.
51 (BB)He has shown strength with His arm;
(BC)He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 (BD)He has put down the mighty from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.
53 He has (BE)filled the hungry with good things,
And the rich He has sent away empty.
54 He has helped His (BF)servant Israel,
(BG)In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (BH)As He spoke to our (BI)fathers,
To Abraham and to his (BJ)seed forever.”
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
Birth of John the Baptist
57 Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they (BK)rejoiced with her.
Circumcision of John the Baptist
59 So it was, (BL)on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. 60 His mother answered and said, (BM)“No; he shall be called John.”
61 But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. 65 Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 And all those who heard them (BN)kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And (BO)the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zacharias’ Prophecy
67 Now his father Zacharias (BP)was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
68 “Blessed(BQ) is the Lord God of Israel,
For (BR)He has visited and redeemed His people,
69 (BS)And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of His servant David,
70 (BT)As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,
Who have been (BU)since the world began,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 (BV)To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 (BW)The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
74 To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might (BX)serve Him without fear,
75 (BY)In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.
76 “And you, child, will be called the (BZ)prophet of the Highest;
For (CA)you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
77 To give (CB)knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the [j]Dayspring from on high [k]has visited us;
79 (CC)To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To (CD)guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 So (CE)the child grew and became strong in spirit, and (CF)was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
Footnotes
- Luke 1:1 Or are most surely believed
- Luke 1:3 Lit. accurately followed
- Luke 1:9 he was chosen by lot
- Luke 1:19 this good news
- Luke 1:28 NU omits blessed are you among women
- Luke 1:29 NU omits when she saw him
- Luke 1:34 Am a virgin
- Luke 1:45 Or believed that there
- Luke 1:46 Declares the greatness of
- Luke 1:78 Lit. Dawn; the Messiah
- Luke 1:78 NU shall visit
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
