Old/New Testament

Prologue

1 Many people have undertaken to draw up an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled in our midst. ² It has all been handed down to us by the original eyewitnesses and stewards of the word. ³ So, most excellent Theophilus, since I had traced the course of the whole thing scrupulously from the start, I thought it a good idea to write an orderly account for you, ⁴ so that you may have secure knowledge about the matters in which you have been instructed.

Gabriel visits Zechariah

⁵ In the time when Herod was king of Judaea, there was a priest called Zechariah, of the priestly division of Abijah. His wife, who came from the Aaron family, was called Elizabeth. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in God’s sight; they followed all the Lord’s commandments and ordinances without fault. ⁷ They had no children. Elizabeth was barren, and both of them were of an advanced age.

⁸ It so happened, when Zechariah was performing his priestly service before God, according to the order of his division, ⁹ that the lot fell to him, according to the priestly custom, to go in to the Lord’s sanctuary to offer incense. ¹⁰ The people were praying outside in a large crowd, at the time of the incense-offering. ¹¹ An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right hand side of the incense-altar. ¹² Zechariah was troubled and terror-struck when he saw the angel.

¹³ But the angel said to him: “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah: your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ This will bring you joy and celebration, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ He will be a great man in God’s sight; he will drink no wine or strong drink. He will be filled with the holy spirit from his mother’s womb, ¹⁶ and will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, and he will turn the hearts of fathers to children, and of unbelievers to the wisdom of the righteous. He will get ready for the Lord a prepared people.”

¹⁸ “How can I be sure of this?” said Zechariah to the angel. “I’m an old man! My wife’s not as young as she used to be, either!”

¹⁹ “Look here,” replied the angel, “I’m Gabriel. I stand in God’s presence. I was sent to speak to you and give you this splendid news. ²⁰ Now, listen: you will be silent—you won’t be able to speak—until the day when it all happens, because you didn’t believe my words. But they will come true at the proper time.”