The Gospel According to Luke

Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us

on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,

it has seemed right to me also, after careful investigation of the facts from their commencement, to write for you, most noble Theophilus, a connected account,

There was in the time of Herod, the king of Judaea, a priest of the name of Zechariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife who was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.

But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.

Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,

it fell to his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood--to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense;

and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.

Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense;

and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his name John.

Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth.

For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; no wine or fermented drink shall he ever drink; but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth.

Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;

and he will be His forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn fathers' hearts to the children, and cause the rebellious to walk in the wisdom of the upright, to make a people perfectly ready for the lord."

"By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."

"I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God," answered the angel, "and I have been sent to talk with you and tell you this good news.

And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words--words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."

Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.

When, however, he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they knew that he must have seen a vision in the Sanctuary; but he kept making signs to them and continued dumb.

When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home;

and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.

"Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary.

So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."

She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.

But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with God.

You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.

He will be great and He will be called 'Son of the Most High.' And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His forefather David;

and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end."

"How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called 'the Son of God.'

And see, your relative Elizabeth--she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

For no promise from God will be impossible of fulfilment."

"I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.

Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.

Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth;

and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt within her. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

and uttered a loud cry of joy. "Blest among women are you," she said, "and the offspring of your body is blest!

But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.

And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."

Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord,

And my spirit triumphs in God my Saviour;

Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy,

Because the mighty One has done great things for me--Holy is His name!--

And His compassion is, generation after generation, Upon those who fear Him.

He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.