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 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished 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 delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers 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 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent The-ophilus,
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
4 that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.
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 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.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
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 child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced 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 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
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 according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter 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 the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zacharias saw [him], he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
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, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at 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 before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mothers womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel 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 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 for the Lord a people prepared."
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 And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced 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 And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring 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 behold, you will be silent and unable 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."
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay 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 And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men.
25 "Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."
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 the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
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 betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and 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 And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, 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 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for 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 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his 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; and the Lord God will give to 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 for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."
34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?"
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 And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, 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 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
37 For with God nothing will be impossible."
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 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah,
40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
40 and she entered the house of Zechariah 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 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe 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 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
43 And why is this granted me, 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 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe 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 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies 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 regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth 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 he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation.
50 And his mercy is on 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 shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
52 He hath put down the mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree.
52 he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree;
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, and the rich he has sent empty away.
54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy;
54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."
56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.
57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and 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 And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
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 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechariah after his father,
60 And his mother answered and said, Not [so]; but he shall be called John.
60 but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John."
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
61 And they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this name."
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all marveled.
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue [loosed], and he spake, and praised God.
64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing 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 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea;
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 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.
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
68 Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
69 and 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 spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
71 that we should be saved 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 perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant,
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
73 the oath which 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 grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might 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 the days of our life.
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, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
78 through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high
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 give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way 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 was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.