Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
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 those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to 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 traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;
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 you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
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.
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
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 both were well advanced in years.
And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division
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 enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
And when Zacharias saw him , he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
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.
You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
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.
He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
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 prepare a people prepared for the Lord.”
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.
Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
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.
Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
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.
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple.
And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
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.
When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house.
And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
“Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”
Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me , to take away my reproach among men.
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary.
To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
Having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
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.
But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
And when she saw him , she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’
And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
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 will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.”
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God.
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.
Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
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 nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
For with God nothing shall be impossible.
Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
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 greeted Elizabeth.
And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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:
She called out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!”
And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
He has put down princes from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.
He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.”
As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.
Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.
And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
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.
His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
And his mother answered and said, Not so ; but he shall be called John.
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”
And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled.
And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed , and he spake, and praised God.
Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
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.
His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),
As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
to show mercy toward our fathers, to remember his holy covenant,
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear,
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.
In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
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 by the remission of their sins,
To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.