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just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
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With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
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The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
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for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
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He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
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Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
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The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
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“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
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Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
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In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
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Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
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for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
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His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
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He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
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He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
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but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
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They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
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He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”
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Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
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“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
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salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—
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to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
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to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
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And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
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The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
