John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold

(A)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the (B)division of [a]Abijah; and he had a wife [b]from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. They were both (C)righteous in the sight of God, walking (D)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 [c]years.

Now it happened that while (E)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 (F)to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer (G)outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 Now (H)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 (I)fear [d]gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, “(J)Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and (K)you shall [e]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 (L)drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit [f]while still in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will (M)turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 And it is he who will (N)go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of (O)Elijah, (P)to turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to (Q)make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For (R)I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her [g]years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am (S)Gabriel, who [h](T)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 (U)[i]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 [j]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 (V)take away my disgrace among people.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:5 Gr Abia
  2. Luke 1:5 I.e., of priestly descent
  3. Luke 1:7 Lit days
  4. Luke 1:12 Lit fell upon
  5. Luke 1:13 Lit call his name
  6. Luke 1:15 Lit still from his
  7. Luke 1:18 Lit days
  8. Luke 1:19 Lit stand beside
  9. Luke 1:22 Possibly gesturing or nodding to them
  10. Luke 1:24 Or hidden

There was ginomai in en the ho days hēmera of Herod hērōdēs, king basileus of ho Judah Ioudaia, a certain tis priest hiereus by the name onoma of Zechariah Zacharias, of ek the priestly division ephēmeria of Abijah Abia; and kai his autos wife gynē was from ek the ho daughters thugatēr of Aaron Aarōn, and kai · ho her autos name onoma was Elizabeth Elisabet. And de they were eimi both amphoteroi righteous dikaios before enantion · ho God theos, walking poreuō blamelessly amemptos in en all pas the ho commandments entolē and kai ordinances dikaiōma of the ho Lord kyrios. But kai they autos did not ou have eimi a child teknon, because kathoti Elizabeth Elisabet was eimi · ho barren steira, and kai both amphoteroi of them autos were eimi advanced probainō in en · ho years hēmera.

Now de it happened ginomai, while en · ho he autos was serving hierateuō as priest before enanti God theos when en · ho his autos priestly division ephēmeria was on duty taxis, · ho · ho that according kata to the ho custom ethos of the ho priesthood hierateia, he was chosen lanchanō by lot to ho go eiserchomai into eis the ho temple naos of the ho Lord kyrios and burn incense thumiaō, 10 and kai the ho whole pas crowd plēthos of ho people laos was eimi there, praying proseuchomai outside exō at the ho hour hōra of ho incense thumiama. 11 And de an angel angelos of kyrios the Lord kyrios appeared horaō to him autos, standing histēmi at ek the right dexios side of the ho altar thusiastērion of ho incense thumiama. 12 · kai Zechariah Zacharias was troubled tarassō when he saw him and kai fear phobos fell epipiptō upon epi him autos. 13 But de the ho angel angelos said legō to pros him autos: “ Do not fear phobeomai, Zechariah Zacharias, because dioti your sy prayer deēsis has been heard eisakouō, · ho and kai · ho your sy wife gynē Elizabeth Elisabet will bear gennaō you sy a son hyios, and kai you will call kaleō · ho his autos name onoma John Iōannēs. 14 And kai for you sy there will be eimi joy chara and kai gladness agalliasis, and kai many polys will rejoice chairō because epi of · ho his autos birth genesis, 15 for gar he will be eimi great megas before enōpion the ho Lord kyrios. And kai he must pinō not ou drink pinō wine oinos and kai strong sikera drink , and kai he will be filled with pimplēmi the Holy hagios Spirit pneuma, even eti from ek his autos mother’ s mētēr womb koilia. 16 and kai he will restore epistrephō many polys of the ho sons hyios of Israel Israēl to epi the Lord kyrios · ho their autos God theos. 17 · kai He autos will go proerchomai on before enōpion him autos, in en the spirit pneuma and kai power dynamis of Elijah ēlias, to turn epistrephō the hearts kardia of fathers patēr toward epi their children teknon, and kai the disobedient apeithēs to en the wisdom phronēsis of the righteous dikaios, in order to establish hetoimazō for the Lord kyrios a people laos who are prepared kataskeuazō for him.”

18 But kai Zechariah Zacharias said legō to pros the ho angel angelos, “ How kata tis can I be sure ginōskō of this houtos? For gar I egō am eimi an old presbytēs man and kai · ho my egō wife gynē is advanced probainō in en · ho years hēmera?” 19 And kai the ho angel angelos answered apokrinomai, saying legō to him autos, “ I egō am eimi Gabriel Gabriēl, who ho stands paristēmi in the presence enōpion of ho God theos, and kai I was sent apostellō to speak laleō to pros you sy, and kai to tell euangelizō you sy the good news of these houtos things . 20 And kai now idou you will be eimi reduced to silence siōpaō and kai not be able dynamai to speak laleō until achri the hos day hēmera in which these things houtos happen ginomai, because anti hos you did not ou believe pisteuō · ho my egō words logos, which hostis will be fulfilled plēroō in eis · ho their autos time kairos.”

21 And kai the ho people laos were eimi waiting prosdokaō for · ho Zechariah Zacharias, and kai they began to wonder thaumazō why en · ho he autos stayed chronizō so long in en the ho temple naos. 22 When he came exerchomai out , · de he was not ou able dynamai to speak laleō to them autos; and kai they realized epiginōskō that hoti he had seen horaō a vision optasia in en the ho temple naos · kai ( he autos kept eimi gesturing dianeuō to them autos and kai remained diamenō mute kōphos). 23 · kai When hōs the ho days hēmera of ho his autos priestly service leitourgia were over pimplēmi, he went aperchomai to eis · ho his autos home oikos.

24 After meta · de these houtos · ho days hēmera, Elizabeth Elisabet his autos wife gynē became pregnant syllambanō, · ho and kai she kept perikrybō herself heautou in seclusion for five pente months mēn, saying legō, 25  Thus houtōs the Lord kyrios has done poieō for me egō in en the days hēmera in which hos he looked with favor to take aphaireō away my egō reproach oneidos among en people anthrōpos.”

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