Luke:1

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* Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been fulfilled among us , * just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word , * it seemed good to me also , having carefully investigated all things from the very first , to write to you an orderly account , most excellent Theophilus , * so that you may know the certainty of the things which you have been taught . * In the days of Herod , king of Judea , there was a priest named Zechariah , of the division of Abijah ; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron , and her name was Elizabeth . * And they were both righteous before God , walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless . * But they had no child , because Elizabeth was barren , and they were both well advanced in years . * Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty , * according to the custom of the priesthood , it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense . * And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense . * Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him , standing on the right side of the altar of incense . * And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him , and fear fell upon him . * But the angel said to him , »Do not be afraid , Zechariah , for your prayer is heard ; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son , and you shall call his name John . * And you will have joy and gladness , and many will rejoice at his birth . * For he will be great in the sight of the Lord , and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink . He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit , even from his mother ’s womb . * And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God . * And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah , ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children ,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just , to make ready a people prepared for the Lord .« * And Zechariah said to the angel , »How shall I know this ? For I am an old man , and my wife is well advanced in years .« * And the angel answered him , »I am Gabriel , who stands in the presence of God ; and I was sent to speak to you , and to bring you this good news . * And behold , you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things come to pass , because you did not believe my words , which will be fulfilled in their time .« * And the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple . * But when he came out , he could not speak to them ; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple , for he made signs to them and remained speechless . * And when his time of service was completed , he went to his home . * After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived , and for five months she hid herself , saying , * »Thus the Lord has done to me , in the days when he looked on me , to take away my reproach among people .« * In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth , * to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph , of the house of David . The virgin ’s name was Mary . * The angel went to her and said , »Hail , O highly favored one , the Lord is with you !« * But she was greatly troubled at his saying , and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be . * And the angel said to her , »Do not be afraid , Mary , for you have found favor with God . * And behold , you will conceive in your womb and bear a son , and you shall call his name Jesus . * He will be great , and will be called the Son of the Most High ; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David . * And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there will be no end .« * And Mary said to the angel , »How can this be , since I am a virgin ?« * And the angel answered her , »The Holy Spirit will come upon you , and the power of the Most High will overshadow you ; therefore the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God . * And behold , your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son ; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren . * For with God nothing will be impossible .« * Then Mary said , »Behold , I am the servant of the Lord ; let it be to me according to your word .« And the angel departed from her . * In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country , to a city of Judah , * and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth . * And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary , the babe leaped in her womb ; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit . * And she exclaimed with a loud voice , »Blessed are you among women , and blessed is the fruit of your womb ! * But why is this granted me , that the mother of my Lord should come to me ? * For behold , as soon as the voice of your greeting came to my ears , the babe in my womb leaped for joy . * And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord .« * And Mary said : tcent @Luke:1:47 " /> tcent @Luke:1:48 " /> tcent @Luke:1:49 " /> tcent @Luke:1:50 " /> tcent @Luke:1:51 " /> tcent @Luke:1:52 " /> tcent @Luke:1:53 " /> tcent @Luke:1:54 " /> tcent @Luke:1:55 " /> * And Mary remained with her about three months , and returned to her home . * Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered , and she gave birth to a son . * Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her , and they rejoiced with her . * On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child ; and they would have named him Zechariah after his father , * but his mother said , »No ; he shall be called John .« * They said to her , »There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name .« * And they made signs to his father , inquiring what he would have him called . * And he asked for a writing tablet , and wrote , »His name is John .« And they all marveled . * And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed , and he spoke , praising God . * And fear came on all their neighbors . And all these things were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea ; * and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts , saying , »What then will this child be ?« For the hand of the Lord was with him . * Now his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit , and prophesied , saying : tcent @Luke:1:68 " /> tcent @Luke:1:69 " /> tcent @Luke:1:70 " /> tcent @Luke:1:71 " /> tcent @Luke:1:72 " /> tcent @Luke:1:73 " /> tcent @Luke:1:74 " /> tcent @Luke:1:75 " /> tcent @Luke:1:76 " /> tcent @Luke:1:77 " /> tcent @Luke:1:78 " /> tcent @Luke:1:79 " /> * And the child grew and became strong in spirit , and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel .

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