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Luke 1:5-38
New Living Translation
Luke 1:5-38
New Living Translation
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 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. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 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.[a] 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,[b] 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,[c] favored woman! The Lord is with you![d]”
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[e] 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.[f]”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
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Luke 1:5-38
New International Version
Luke 1:5-38
New International Version
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea(A) there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah;(B) his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.(C) 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,(D) 9 he was chosen by lot,(E) according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.(F) 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.(G)
11 Then an angel(H) of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.(I) 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.(J) 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,(K) Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.(L) 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,(M) 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,(N) and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit(O) even before he is born.(P) 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord,(Q) in the spirit and power of Elijah,(R) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children(S) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”(T)
18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?(U) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”(V)
19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.(W) I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak(X) until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs(Y) to them but remained unable to speak.
23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace(Z) among the people.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel(AA) to Nazareth,(AB) a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,(AC) a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,(AD) Mary; you have found favor with God.(AE) 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.(AF) 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.(AG) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,(AH) 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom(AI) will never end.”(AJ)
34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you,(AK) and the power of the Most High(AL) will overshadow you. So the holy one(AM) to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.(AN) 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child(AO) in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”(AP)
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Footnotes
- Luke 1:35 Or So the child to be born will be called holy,
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.