Luke:1

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* Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us , * Even as they delivered them unto us , which from the beginning were eyewitnesses , and ministers of the word ; * It seemed good to me also , having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first , to write unto thee in order , most excellent Theophilus , * That thou mightest know the certainty of those things , wherein thou hast been instructed . * There was in the days of Herod , the king of Judaea , a certain priest named Zacharias , of the course of Abia : and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron , and her name was Elisabeth . * And they were both righteous before God , walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless . * And they had no child , because that Elisabeth was barren , and they both were now well stricken in years . * And it came to pass , that while he executed the priest 's office before God in the order of his course , * According to the custom of the priest 's office , his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord . * And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense . * And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense . * And when Zacharias saw him , he was troubled , and fear fell upon him . * But the angel said unto him , Fear not , Zacharias : for thy prayer is heard ; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son , and thou shalt call his name John . * And thou shalt have joy and gladness ; and many shall rejoice at his birth . * For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord , and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink ; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost , even from his mother 's womb . * And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God . * And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias , 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 Zacharias said unto the angel , Whereby shall I know this ? for I am an old man , and my wife well stricken in years . * And the angel answering said unto him , I am Gabriel , that stand in the presence of God ; and am sent to speak unto thee , and to shew thee these glad tidings . * And , behold , thou shalt be dumb , and not able to speak , until the day that these things shall be performed , because thou believest not my words , which shall be fulfilled in their season . * And the people waited for Zacharias , and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple . * And when he came out , he could not speak unto them : and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple : for he beckoned unto them , and remained speechless . * And it came to pass , that , as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished , he departed to his own house . * And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived , and hid herself five months , saying , * Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me , to take away my reproach among men . * And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee , named 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 came in unto her , and said , Hail , thou that art highly favoured , the Lord is with thee : blessed art thou among women . * And when she saw him , she was troubled at his saying , and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be . * And the angel said unto her , Fear not , Mary : for thou hast found favour with God . * And , behold , thou shalt conceive in thy womb , and bring forth a son , and shalt call his name JESUS . * He shall be great , and shall be called the Son of the Highest : and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David : * And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever ; and of his kingdom there shall be no end . * Then said Mary unto the angel , How shall this be , seeing I know not a man ? * And the angel answered and said unto her , The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee , and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God . * And , behold , thy cousin Elisabeth , she hath also conceived a son in her old age : and this is the sixth month with her , who was called barren . * For with God nothing shall be impossible . * And Mary said , Behold the handmaid of the Lord ; be it unto me according to thy word . And the angel departed from her . * And Mary arose in those days , and went into the hill country with haste , into a city of Juda ; * And entered into the house of Zacharias , and saluted Elisabeth . * And it came to pass , that , when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary , the babe leaped in her womb ; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost : * And she spake 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 , lo , as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears , the babe leaped in my womb for joy . * And blessed is she that believed : for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord . * And Mary said , My soul doth magnify the Lord , * And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour . * For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden : for , behold , from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed . * For he that is mighty hath done to me great things ; and holy is his name . * And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation . * He hath shewed strength with his arm ; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts . * He hath put down the mighty from their seats , and exalted them of low degree . * He hath filled the hungry with good things ; and the rich he hath sent empty away . * He hath holpen his servant Israel , in remembrance of his mercy ; * As he spake to our fathers , to Abraham , and to his seed for ever . * And Mary abode with her about three months , and returned to her own house . * Now Elisabeth 's full time came that she should be delivered ; and she brought forth a son . * And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her ; and they rejoiced with her . * And it came to pass , that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child ; and they called him Zacharias , after the name of his father . * And his mother answered and said , Not so ; but he shall be called John . * And they said unto 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 he asked for a writing table , and wrote , saying , His name is John . And they marvelled all . * And his mouth was opened immediately , and his tongue loosed , and he spake , and praised God . * And fear came on all that dwelt round about them : and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea . * And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts , saying , What manner of child shall this be ! And the hand of the Lord was with him . * And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost , and prophesied , saying , * Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; for he hath visited and redeemed his people , * And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David ; * As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets , which have been since the world began : * That we should be saved from our enemies , and from the hand of all that hate us ; * To perform the mercy promised to our fathers , and to remember his holy covenant ; * The oath which he sware to our father Abraham , * That he would grant unto us , that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear , * In holiness and righteousness before him , all the days of our life . * 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 unto his people by the remission of their sins , * Through the tender mercy of our God ; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us , * To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death , to guide our feet into the way of peace . * And the child grew , and waxed strong in spirit , and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel .

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