Luke:1

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* Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us ; * According as they have delivered them unto us , who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word : * It seemed good to me also , having diligently attained to all things from the beginning , to write to thee in order , most excellent Theophilus , * That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed . * There was in the days of Herod , the king of Judea , a certain priest named Zachary , of the course of Abia ; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron , and her name Elizabeth . * And they were both just before God , walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame . * And they had no son , for that Elizabeth was barren , and they both were well advanced in years . * And it came to pass , when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God , * According to the custom of the priestly office , it was his lot to offer incense , going into the temple of the Lord . * And all the multitude of the people was praying without , at the hour of incense . * And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord , standing on the right side of the alter of incense . * And Zachary seeing him , was troubled , and fear fell upon him . * But the angel said to him : Fear not , Zachary , for thy prayer is heard ; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son , and thou shalt call his name John : * And thou shalt have joy and gladness , and many shall rejoice in his nativity . * For he shall be great before the Lord ; and shall drink no wine nor strong drink : and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost , even from his mother 's womb . * And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God . * And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias ; that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children , and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just , to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people . * And Zachary said to the angel : Whereby shall I know this ? for I am an old man , and my wife is advanced in years . * And the angel answering , said to him : I am Gabriel , who stand before God : and am sent to speak to thee , and to bring thee these good tidings . * And behold , thou shalt be dumb , and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass , because thou hast not believed my words , which shall be fulfilled in their time . * And the people were waiting for Zachary ; and they wondered that he tarried so long in the temple . * And when he came out , he could not speak to them : and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple . And he made signs to them , and remained dumb . * And it came to pass , after the days of his office were accomplished , he departed to his own house . * And after those days , Elizabeth his wife conceived , and hid herself five months , saying : * Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he hath had regard to take away my reproach among men . * And in the sixth month , the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee , called Nazareth , * To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph , of the house of David ; and the virgin 's name was Mary . * And the angel being come in , said unto her : Hail , full of grace , the Lord is with thee : blessed art thou among women . * Who having heard , was troubled at his saying , and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be . * And the angel said to her : Fear not , Mary , for thou hast found grace with God . * Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb , and shalt bring forth a son ; and thou shalt call his name Jesus . * He shall be great , and shall be called the Son of the most High ; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father ; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever . * And of his kingdom there shall be no end . * And Mary said to the angel : How shall this be done , because I know not man ? * And the angel answering , said to her : The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee , and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee . And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God . * And behold thy cousin Elizabeth , she also hath conceived a son in her old age ; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren : * Because no word shall be impossible with God . * And Mary said : Behold the handmaid of the Lord ; be it done to me according to thy word . And the angel departed from her . * And Mary rising up in those days , went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda . * And she entered into the house of Zachary , and saluted Elizabeth . * And it came to pass , that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary , the infant leaped in her womb . And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost : * And she cried out with a loud voice , and said : Blessed art thou among women , and blessed is the fruit of thy womb . * And whence is this to me , that the mother of my Lord should come to me ? * For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears , the infant in my womb leaped for joy . * And blessed art thou that hast believed , because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord . * And Mary said : My soul doth magnify the Lord . * And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour . * Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid ; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed . * Because he that is mighty , hath done great things to me ; and holy is his name . * And his mercy is from generation unto generations , to them that fear him . * He hath shewed might in his arm : he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart . * He hath put down the mighty from their seat , and hath exalted the humble . * He hath filled the hungry with good things ; and the rich he hath sent empty away . * He hath received Israel his servant , being mindful of his mercy : * As he spoke to our fathers , to Abraham and to his seed for ever . * And Mary abode with her about three months ; and she returned to her own house . * Now Elizabeth 's full time of being delivered was come , and she brought forth a son . * And her neighbours and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her , and they congratulated with her . * And it came to pass , that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child , and they called him by his father 's name Zachary . * And his mother answering , said : Not so ; but he shall be called John . * And they said to her : There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name . * And they made signs to his father , how he would have him called . * And demanding a writing table , he wrote , saying : John is his name . And they all wondered . * And immediately his mouth was opened , and his tongue loosed , and he spoke , blessing God . * And fear came upon all their neighbours ; and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea . * And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart , saying : What an one , think ye , shall this child be ? For the hand of the Lord was with him . * And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost ; and he prophesied , saying : * Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people : * And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us , in the house of David his servant : * As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets , who are from the beginning : * Salvation from our enemies , and from the hand of all that hate us : * To perform mercy to our fathers , and to remember his holy testament , * The oath , which he swore to Abraham our father , that he would grant to us , * That being delivered from the hand of our enemies , we may serve him without fear , * In holiness and justice before him , all our days . * And thou , child , shalt be called the prophet of the Highest : for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways : * To give knowledge of salvation to his people , unto the remission of their sins : * Through the bowels of the mercy of our God , in which the Orient from on high hath visited us : * To enlighten them that sit in darkness , and in the shadow of death : to direct our feet into the way of peace . * And the child grew , and was strengthened in spirit ; and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel .

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