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 they delivered
them unto us
, which
from
the beginning
were
eyewitnesses
, and
ministers
of the word
;
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 thou mightest know
the certainty
of
those things
, wherein
thou hast been instructed
.
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
.
And they were
both
righteous
before
God
, walking
in
all
the commandments
and
ordinances
of the Lord
blameless
.
And they
had
no
child
, because
that Elisabeth
was
barren
, and
they
both
were
now well stricken
in
years
.
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 burn incense
when he went
into
the temple
of the Lord
.
And the whole
multitude
of the people
were
praying
without
at the time
of incense
.
And there appeared
unto him
an angel
of the Lord
standing
on
the right side
of the altar
of incense
.
And when Zacharias
saw
him , he was troubled
, and
fear
fell
upon
him
.
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
.
And thou
shalt have
joy
and
gladness
; and
many
shall rejoice
at
his
birth
.
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
.
And many
of the children
of Israel
shall he turn
to
the Lord
their
God
.
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
.
And Zacharias
said
unto
the angel
, Whereby
shall I know
this
? for
I
am
an old man
, and
my
wife
well stricken
in
years
.
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
.
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
.
And the people
waited
for Zacharias
, and
marvelled
that
he
tarried so long
in
the temple
.
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
.
And it came to pass
, that, as soon as
the days
of his
ministration
were accomplished
, he departed
to
his own
house
.
And after
those
days
his
wife
Elisabeth
conceived
, and
hid
herself
five
months
, saying
,
Thus
hath
the Lord
dealt
with me
in
the days
wherein
he looked on
me , to take away
my
reproach
among
men
.
And in
the sixth
month
the angel
Gabriel
was sent
from
God
unto
a city
of Galilee
, named
Nazareth
,
To a virgin
espoused
to a man
whose
name
was Joseph
, of
the house
of David
; and
the virgin's
name
was Mary
.
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
.
And when she saw
him , she was troubled
at
his
saying
, and
cast in her mind
what manner
of salutation
this
should be
.
And the angel
said
unto her
, Fear
not
, Mary
: for
thou hast found
favour
with
God
.
And, behold
, thou shalt conceive
in
thy womb
, and
bring forth
a son
, and
shalt call
his
name
JESUS
.
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 shall reign
over
the house
of Jacob
for
ever
; and
of his
kingdom
there shall be
no
end
.
Then said
Mary
unto
the angel
, How
shall
this
be
, seeing
I know
not
a man
?
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
.
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 with
God
nothing
shall be impossible
.
And Mary
said
, Behold
the handmaid
of the Lord
; be it
unto me
according
to thy
word
. And
the angel
departed
from
her
.
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
saluted
Elisabeth
.
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
:
And she spake out
with a loud
voice
, and
said
, Blessed
art thou
among
women
, and
blessed
is the fruit
of thy
womb
.
And whence
is this
to me
, that
the mother
of my
Lord
should come
to
me
?
For, lo
, as soon as
the voice
of thy
salutation
sounded
in
mine
ears
, the babe
leaped
in
my
womb
for
joy
.
And blessed
is she that believed
: for
there shall be
a performance
of those things which were told
her
from
the Lord
.
And Mary
said
, My
soul
doth magnify
the Lord
,
And my
spirit
hath rejoiced
in
God
my
Saviour
.
For he hath regarded
the low estate
of his
handmaiden
: for
, behold
, from
henceforth
all
generations
shall call
me
blessed
.
For he that is mighty
hath done
to me
great things
; and
holy
is his
name
.
And his
mercy
is on them that fear
him
from
generation
to generation
.
He hath shewed strength
with
his
arm
; he hath scattered
the proud
in the imagination
of their
hearts
.
He hath put down the mighty
from
their seats
, and
exalted
them of low degree
.
He hath filled the hungry
with good things
; and
the rich
he hath sent
empty
away
.
He hath holpen his
servant
Israel
, in remembrance
of his mercy
;
As he spake
to
our
fathers
, to Abraham
, and
to his
seed
for
ever
.
And Mary
abode
with
her
about
three
months
, and
returned
to
her own
house
.
Now Elisabeth's
full
time
came
that she
should be delivered
; and
she brought forth
a son
.
And her neighbours
and
her
cousins
heard
how
the Lord
had shewed great
mercy
upon
her
; and
they rejoiced
with her
.
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
.
And his
mother
answered
and said
, Not
so ; but
he shall be called
John
.
And they said
unto
her
,
There is
none
of
thy
kindred
that
is called
by this
name
.
And they made signs
to his
father
, how
he would have
him
called
.
And he asked for
a writing table
, and wrote
, saying
, His
name
is
John
. And
they marvelled
all
.
And his
mouth
was opened
immediately
, and
his
tongue
loosed , and
he spake
, and praised
God
.
And fear
came
on
all
that dwelt round about
them
: and
all
these
sayings
were noised abroad
throughout
all
the hill country
of Judaea
.
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
.
And his
father
Zacharias
was filled
with the Holy
Ghost
, and
prophesied
, saying
,
Blessed be the Lord
God
of Israel
; for
he hath visited
and
redeemed
his
people
,
And hath raised up
an horn
of salvation
for us
in
the house
of his
servant
David
;
As he spake
by
the mouth
of his
holy
prophets
, which
have been since
the world began
:
That we should be saved from
our
enemies
, and
from
the hand
of all
that hate
us
;
To perform the mercy
promised to
our
fathers
, and
to remember
his
holy
covenant
;
The oath which
he sware
to
our
father
Abraham
,
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
.
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
unto his
people
by
the remission
of their
sins
,
Through the tender
mercy
of our
God
; whereby
the dayspring
from
on high
hath visited
us
,
To give light to them that sit
in
darkness
and
in the shadow
of death
, to guide
our
feet
into
the way
of peace
.
And the child
grew
, and
waxed strong
in spirit
, and
was
in
the deserts
till
the day
of his
shewing
unto
Israel
.