1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 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,
3 Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5 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.
5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
6 Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lords commandments and regulations blamelessly.
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were [now] well stricken in years.
7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
8 Once when Zechariahs division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw [him], he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
13 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.
13 But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
15 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.
15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.
17 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.
17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."
19 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.
19 The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
20 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.
20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
22 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.
22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home.
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men.
25 "The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name [was] Mary.
27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgins name was Mary.
28 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.
28 The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
29 And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
30 But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.
32 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:
32 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,
33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"
35 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.
35 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 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.
36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
37 For nothing is impossible with God."
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
38 "I am the Lords servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
40 where she entered Zechariahs home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 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:
41 When Elizabeth heard Marys greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb.
42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
43 And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 And blessed [is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
45 Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
46 And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy [is] his name.
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name.
50 And his mercy [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation.
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy;
54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.
59 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.
59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
60 And his mother answered and said, Not [so]; but he shall be called John.
60 but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyones astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue [loosed], and he spake, and praised God.
64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
65 The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
66 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.
66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lords hand was with him.
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
68 "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us--
72 To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 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;
76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.