Luke 1

Luke introduces his Gospel

Since many have undertaken to put together a narrative of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word handed them down to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having had a perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write for you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you might know the certainty of those things in which you have been instructed.

The parents of John the Baptist

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. His wife also was of the descendants of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous in the eyes of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7 And they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren, and by then they were both well advanced in years.

8 And it happened that while he was serving as priest in the presence of God in the order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, the lot fell to him to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And all the assembled people were praying outside at the time of incense.

11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he became agitated and was seized by fear.

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard and your wife Elisabeth will bear you a son. And you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and will drink neither wine nor strong drink. And he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on 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 righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”.

18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How can I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years”.

19 And the angel answering said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I am sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent, unable to speak until the day that these things are accomplished, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time”.

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them. And they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he was making signs to them, and remained speechless.

23 And it happened that as soon as the days of his service were completed that he went to his own house, 24 and after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived. And she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me, in these days in which he has looked on me with favour, to take away my dishonour among men”.

An angel comes to Mary

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in to her, and said, “Be joyful, you who are highly favoured, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women”.

29 And when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at his statement and wondered what kind of greeting this could be.

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 And, see, you will be with child, and bear a son, and shall call his name JESUS. 32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end”.

34 Then said Mary to the angel, “How will this be, since I do not know a man?”

35 And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, also, that holy one who will be born will be called the Son of God. 36 And now your cousin Elisabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing can be impossible”.

38 And Mary said, “See the maidservant of the Lord. Let it be to me according to your word”. And the angel departed from her.

Mary visits Elizabeth

39 And Mary arose at that time, and hurried to a town of Judah in the hill country, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elisabeth.

41 And it happened that when Elisabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and spoke with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And why is this given to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44 For, now, as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of those things which were told her from the Lord”.

46  And Mary said,

“My soul exalts the Lord,

47 And my spirit has rejoiced

in God my Saviour.

48 For he has had regard for the

lowly state of his maidservant.

For, see, from now on all generations

will call me blessed.

49 For the Mighty One has done

great things for me,

and his name is holy.

50 And generation after generation

his mercy is on those who fear him.

51 He has shown strength with his arm.

He has scattered the proud in the imagination

of their hearts.

52 He has put down the mighty

from their seats,

and exalted the lowly.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering his mercy,

55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham,

and to his descendants forever”.

The birth of John the Baptist

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

57 Now the time had come for Elisabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they would have named him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

60 And his mother responded and said, “No, he shall be called John”.

61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name”.

62 And they made signs to his father to know what he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote this: His name is John. And they were all amazed. 64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke and praised God. 65 And awe came on everyone who lived around them. And all these things that had been said were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be!” And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

for he has visited and redeemed his people,

69 and has raised up a horn of salvation

for us in the house of his servant David,

70 just as he said by the mouth

of his holy prophets,

who prophesied through the ages,

71 that we would be saved

from our enemies and from the hands

of all who hate us,

72 to perform the acts of mercy

promised to our fathers,

and to remember his holy covenant,

73 the oath which he swore

to our father Abraham,

74 that he would grant us that we,

being delivered out of the hands

of our enemies, might serve him

without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness

before him, all the days of our life.

76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet

of the Most High,

for you will go before the face

of the Lord to prepare his ways,

77 to give the knowledge of salvation

to his people through the forgiveness

of their sins,

78 because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the sunrise

from on high has visited us,

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness

and the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace”.

80 And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his appearance to Israel.