路加福音 1
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
1 1-2 提阿非罗大人，已经有很多人根据最初的目击者和传道者给我们的口述，把我们中间发生的事记载下来。 3 我把一切事情从头至尾仔细查考之后，决定按次序写出来， 4 使你知道自己所学的道都是有真凭实据的。
天使预告施洗者约翰出生
5 犹太王希律执政期间，亚比雅的班里有位祭司名叫撒迦利亚，他妻子伊丽莎白是亚伦的后裔。 6 夫妻二人遵行主的一切诫命和条例，无可指责，在上帝眼中是义人。 7 但他们没有孩子，因为伊丽莎白不能生育，二人又年纪老迈。
8 有一天，轮到撒迦利亚他们那一班祭司当值， 9 他们按照祭司的规矩抽签，抽中撒迦利亚到主的殿里去烧香。 10 众百姓都在外面祷告。 11 那时，主的天使在香坛的右边向撒迦利亚显现， 12 撒迦利亚见了，惊慌害怕起来。
13 天使对他说：“撒迦利亚，不要害怕，你的祷告已蒙垂听。你的妻子伊丽莎白要为你生一个儿子，你要给他取名叫约翰。 14 你必欢喜快乐，许多人也会因为他的诞生而欣喜雀跃， 15 因为他将成为主伟大的仆人。他必滴酒不沾，并且在母腹里就被圣灵充满。 16 他将劝导许多以色列人回心转意，归顺主——他们的上帝。 17 他将以先知以利亚的心志和能力做主的先锋，使父亲的心转向儿女，使叛逆的人回转、顺从义人的智慧，为主预备合用的子民。”
18 撒迦利亚对天使说：“我已经老了，我的妻子也上了年纪，我如何知道这是真的呢？” 19 天使回答说：“我是侍立在上帝面前的加百列，奉命来向你报这喜讯。 20 我说的这些话到时候必定应验。但因为你不肯相信我的话，所以这事成就以前，你将变成哑巴，不能说话。”
21 人们在等候撒迦利亚，见他在圣殿里迟迟不出来，都感到奇怪。 22 后来他出来了，却成了哑巴，不能说话，只能打手势，大家意识到他在圣殿里看见了异象。 23 撒迦利亚供职期满，就回家去了。 24 不久，伊丽莎白果然怀了孕，她有五个月闭门不出。 25 她说：“主真是眷顾我，除掉了我不生育的羞耻。”
天使预告耶稣降生
26 伊丽莎白怀孕六个月的时候，天使加百列又奉上帝的命令到加利利的拿撒勒， 27 去见一位童贞女，她叫玛丽亚。玛丽亚已经和大卫的后裔约瑟订了婚。
28 天使到了玛丽亚那里，说：“恭喜你，蒙大恩的女子，主与你同在！”
29 玛丽亚听了觉得十分困惑，反复思想这话的意思。
30 天使对她说：“玛丽亚，不要害怕，你在上帝面前已经蒙恩了。 31 你要怀孕生子，并给祂取名叫耶稣。 32 祂伟大无比，将被称为至高者的儿子，主上帝要把祂祖先大卫的王位赐给祂。 33 祂要永远统治以色列[a]，祂的国度永无穷尽。”
34 玛丽亚对天使说：“这怎么可能呢？我还是童贞女。”
35 天使回答说：“圣灵要临到你身上，至高者的能力要荫庇你，所以你要生的那圣婴必称为上帝的儿子。 36 看啊，你的亲戚伊丽莎白年纪老迈，一向不能生育，现在已经怀男胎六个月了。 37 因为上帝无所不能。”
38 玛丽亚说：“我是主的婢女，愿你所说的话在我身上成就。”于是天使离开了她。
玛丽亚看望伊丽莎白
39 不久，玛丽亚便动身赶到犹太山区的一座城， 40 进了撒迦利亚的家，向伊丽莎白请安。 41 伊丽莎白一听见玛丽亚的问安，腹中的胎儿便跳动起来，伊丽莎白被圣灵充满， 42 高声喊着说：“在妇女中你是最蒙福的！你腹中的孩子也是蒙福的！ 43 我主的母亲来探望我，我怎么敢当呢？ 44 我一听到你问安的声音，腹中的孩子就欢喜跳动。 45 相信主所说的话必实现的女子有福了！”
46 玛丽亚说：
“我的心尊主为大，
47 我的灵因我的救主上帝而欢喜，
48 因祂眷顾我这卑微的婢女，
从今以后，
世世代代都要称我是有福的。
49 全能者在我身上行了奇事，
祂的名是神圣的。
50 祂怜悯敬畏祂的人，
直到世世代代。
51 祂伸出臂膀，施展大能，
驱散心骄气傲的人。
52 祂使当权者失势，
叫谦卑的人升高。
53 祂使饥饿的得饱足，
叫富足的空手而去。
54 祂扶助了自己的仆人以色列，
55 祂要施怜悯给亚伯拉罕和他的子孙，
直到永远，
正如祂对我们祖先的应许。”
56 玛丽亚和伊丽莎白同住了约三个月，便回家去了。
施洗者约翰出生
57 伊丽莎白的产期到了，生下一个儿子。 58 亲戚和邻居听见主向她大施怜悯，都和她一同欢乐。 59 到了第八天，他们来给孩子行割礼，想照他父亲的名字给他取名叫撒迦利亚。
60 但伊丽莎白说：“不！要叫他约翰。”
61 他们说：“你们家族中没有人用这个名字啊！” 62 他们便向他父亲打手势，问他要给孩子起什么名字。 63 撒迦利亚就要了一块写字板，写上：“他的名字叫约翰。”大家看了都很惊奇。 64 就在那时，撒迦利亚恢复了说话的能力，便开口赞美上帝。 65 住在周围的人都很惧怕，这消息很快就传遍了整个犹太山区。 66 听见的人都在想：“这孩子将来会怎样呢？因为主与他同在。”
撒迦利亚的预言
67 孩子的父亲撒迦利亚被圣灵充满，便预言说：
68 “主——以色列的上帝当受称颂，
因祂眷顾、救赎了自己的子民，
69 在祂仆人大卫的家族中为我们兴起了一位大能的拯救者[b]，
70 正如祂从亘古借着祂圣先知们的口所说的。
71 祂要从仇敌和一切恨我们之人手中拯救我们。
72 祂怜悯我们的祖先，
持守自己的圣约，
73 就是祂对我们的先祖亚伯拉罕所起的誓，
74 要把我们从仇敌手中拯救出来，
75 使我们一生一世在圣洁和公义中坦然无惧地事奉祂。
76 至于你，我的儿子啊！
你将要被称为至高者的先知，
因为你要走在主的前面，
为祂预备道路，
77 使百姓因罪得赦免而明白救恩的真谛。
78 由于上帝的怜悯，
清晨的曙光必从高天普照我们，
79 照亮那些生活在黑暗中和死亡阴影下的人，
带领我们走平安的道路。”
80 那孩子渐渐长大，心灵强健，在向以色列人公开露面之前，一直住在旷野。
Luke 1
Living Bible
1 1-2 Dear friend who loves God:[a]
Several biographies of Christ have already been written using as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses. 3 However, it occurred to me that it would be well to recheck all these accounts from first to last and after thorough investigation to pass this summary on to you,[b] 4 to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught.
5 My story begins with a Jewish priest, Zacharias, who lived when Herod was king of Judea. Zacharias was a member of the Abijah division of the Temple service corps. (His wife, Elizabeth, was, like himself, a member of the priest tribe of the Jews, a descendant of Aaron.) 6 Zacharias and Elizabeth were godly folk, careful to obey all of God’s laws in spirit as well as in letter. 7 But they had no children, for Elizabeth was barren; and now they were both very old.
8-9 One day as Zacharias was going about his work in the Temple—for his division was on duty that week—the honor fell to him by lot[c] to enter the inner sanctuary and burn incense before the Lord. 10 Meanwhile, a great crowd stood outside in the Temple court, praying as they always did during that part of the service when the incense was being burned.
11-12 Zacharias was in the sanctuary when suddenly an angel appeared, standing to the right of the altar of incense! Zacharias was startled and terrified.
13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias! For I have come to tell you that God has heard your prayer, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son! And you are to name him John. 14 You will both have great joy and gladness at his birth, and many will rejoice with you. 15 For he will be one of the Lord’s great men. He must never touch wine or hard liquor—and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from before his birth! 16 And he will persuade many a Jew to turn to the Lord his God. 17 He will be a man of rugged[d] spirit and power like Elijah, the prophet of old; and he will precede the coming of the Messiah, preparing the people for his arrival. He will soften adult hearts to become like little children’s, and will change disobedient minds to the wisdom of faith.”
18 Zacharias said to the angel, “But this is impossible! 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 you with this good news! 20 And now, because you haven’t believed me, you are to be stricken silent, unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly come true at the proper time.”
21 Meanwhile the crowds outside were waiting for Zacharias to appear and wondered why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally came out, he couldn’t speak to them, and they realized from his gestures that he must have seen a vision in the Temple. 23 He stayed on at the Temple for the remaining days of his Temple duties and then returned home. 24 Soon afterwards Elizabeth his wife became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.
25 “How kind the Lord is,” she exclaimed, “to take away my disgrace of having no children!”
26 The following month God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin, Mary, engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Congratulations, favored lady! The Lord is with you!”[e]
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
30 “Don’t be frightened, Mary,” the angel told her, “for God has decided to wonderfully bless you! 31 Very soon now, you will become pregnant and have a baby boy, and you are to name him ‘Jesus.’ 32 He shall be very great and shall be called the Son of God. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he shall reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom shall never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can I have a baby? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of God shall overshadow you; so the baby born to you will be utterly holy—the Son of God. 36 Furthermore, six months ago your Aunt[f] Elizabeth—‘the barren one,’ they called her—became pregnant in her old age! 37 For every promise from God shall surely come true.”
38 Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to do whatever he wants. May everything you said come true.” And then the angel disappeared.
39-40 A few days later Mary hurried to the highlands of Judea to the town where Zacharias lived, to visit Elizabeth.
41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 She gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “You are favored by God above all other women, and your child is destined for God’s mightiest praise. 43 What an honor this is, that the mother of my Lord should visit me! 44 When you came in and greeted me, the instant I heard your voice, my baby moved in me for joy! 45 You believed that God would do what he said; that is why he has given you this wonderful blessing.”
46 Mary responded, “Oh, how I praise the Lord. 47 How I rejoice in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation forever shall call me blest of God. 49 For he, the mighty Holy One, has done great things to me. 50 His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who reverence him.
51 “How powerful is his mighty arm! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! 52 He has torn princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He has satisfied the hungry hearts and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54 And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. 55 For he promised our fathers—Abraham and his children—to be merciful to them forever.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
57 By now Elizabeth’s waiting was over, for the time had come for the baby to be born—and it was a boy. 58 The word spread quickly to her neighbors and relatives of how kind the Lord had been to her, and everyone rejoiced.
59 When the baby was eight days old, all the relatives and friends came for the circumcision ceremony. They all assumed the baby’s name would be Zacharias, after his father.
60 But Elizabeth said, “No! He must be named John!”
61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” 62 So they asked the baby’s father, talking to him by gestures.[g]
63 He motioned for a piece of paper and to everyone’s surprise wrote, “His name is John!” 64 Instantly Zacharias could speak again, and he began praising God.
65 Wonder fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread through the Judean hills. 66 And everyone who heard about it thought long thoughts and asked, “I wonder what this child will turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is surely upon him in some special way.”
67 Then his father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to visit his people and has redeemed them. 69 He is sending us a Mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, 70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago— 71 someone to save us from our enemies, from all who hate us.
72-73 “He has been merciful to our ancestors, yes, to Abraham himself, by remembering his sacred promise to him, 74 and by granting us the privilege of serving God fearlessly, freed from our enemies, 75 and by making us holy and acceptable, ready to stand in his presence forever.
76 “And you, my little son, shall be called the prophet of the glorious God, for you will prepare the way for the Messiah. 77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. 78 All this will be because the mercy of our God is very tender, and heaven’s dawn is about to break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and death’s shadow, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
80 The little boy greatly loved God[h] and when he grew up he lived out in the lonely wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
Footnotes
- Luke 1:1 Dear friend who loves God. From v. 3. Literally, “Most excellent Theophilus.” The name means “one who loves God.”
- Luke 1:3 to pass this summary on to you, literally, “an account of the things accomplished among us.”
- Luke 1:8 by lot. Probably by throwing dice or something similar—“drawing straws” would be a modern equivalent.
- Luke 1:17 rugged, implied. and will change disobedient minds to the wisdom of faith, literally, “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just.”
- Luke 1:28 The Lord is with you. Some ancient versions add, “Blessed are you among women,” as in v. 42, which appears in all manuscripts.
- Luke 1:36 Aunt, literally, “relative.”
- Luke 1:62 talking to him by gestures. Zacharias was apparently stone deaf as well as speechless, and had not heard what his wife had said.
- Luke 1:80 greatly loved God, “became strong in spirit.”
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.