Luke 1

Luke Writes About Jesus’ Life

1 Many have tried to report on the things that happened among us.2 They have written the same things that we learned from others—the people who saw those things from the beginning and served God by telling people his message.3 Since I myself have studied everything carefully from the beginning, most excellent 

4 to help you know that what you have been taught is true.

Zechariah and Elizabeth

5 During the time Herod ruled Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah who belonged to Abijah’s group. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth truly did what God said was good. They did everything the Lord commanded and were without fault in keeping his law.

7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth could not have a baby, and both of them were very old.
8 One day Zechariah was serving as a priest before God, because his group was on duty.9 According to the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense.10 There were a great many people outside praying at the time the incense was offered.11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing on the right side of the incense table.12 When he saw the angel, Zechariah was startled and frightened.13 But the angel said to him, “Zechariah, don’t be afraid. God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give birth to a son, and you will name him John.14 He will bring you joy and gladness, and many people will be happy because of his birth.15 John will be a great man for the Lord. He will never drink wine or beer, and even from birth, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.16 He will help many people of Israel return to the Lord their God.

17 He will go before the Lord in spirit and power like Elijah. He will make peace between parents and their children and will bring those who are not obeying God back to the right way of thinking, to make a people ready for the coming of the Lord.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that what you say is true? I am an old man, and my wife is old, too.”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand before God, who sent me to talk to you and to tell you this good news.

20 Now, listen! You will not be able to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe what I told you. But they will really happen.”
21 Outside, the people were still waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he was staying so long in the Temple.22 When Zechariah came outside, he could not speak to them, and they knew he had seen a vision in the Temple. He could only make signs to them and remained unable to speak.

23 When his time of service at the Temple was finished, he went home.
24 Later, Zechariah’s wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and did not go out of her house for five months. Elizabeth said,25 “Look what the Lord has done for me! My people were ashamed 

An Angel Appears to Mary

26 During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,27 to a virgin. She was engaged to marry a man named Joseph from the family of David. Her name was Mary.

28 The angel came to her and said, “Greetings! The Lord has blessed you and is with you.”

29 But Mary was very startled by what the angel said and wondered what this greeting might mean.
30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has shown you his grace.31 Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of King David, his ancestor.

33 He will rule over the people of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”

34 Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. For this reason the baby will be holy and will be called the Son of God.36 Now Elizabeth, your relative, is also pregnant with a son though she is very old. Everyone thought she could not have a baby, but she has been pregnant for six months.

37 God can do anything!”

38 Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!” Then the angel went away.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hills of Judea.40 She came to Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby inside her jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.42 She cried out in a loud voice, “God has blessed you more than any other woman, and he has blessed the baby to which you will give birth.43 Why has this good thing happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?44 When I heard your voice, the baby inside me jumped with joy.

45 You are blessed because you believed that what the Lord said to you would really happen.”

Mary Praises God

46 Then Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord;

47 my heart rejoices in God my Savior,

48 because he has shown his concern for his humble servant girl.
From now on, all people will say that I am blessed,

49 because the Powerful One has done great things for me. His name is holy.

50 God will show his mercy forever and ever to those who worship and serve him.

51 He has done mighty deeds by his power. He has scattered the people who are proud and think great things about themselves.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones and raised up the humble.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with nothing.

54 He has helped his servant, the people of Israel, remembering to show them mercy

55 as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his children forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

The Birth of John

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth, she had a boy.

58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how good the Lord was to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 When the baby was eight days old, they came to circumcise him. They wanted to name him Zechariah because this was his father’s name,

60 but his mother said, “No! He will be named John.”
61 The people said to Elizabeth, “But no one in your family has this name.”

62 Then they made signs to his father to find out what he would like to name him.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John,” and everyone was surprised.64 Immediately Zechariah could talk again, and he began praising God.65 All their neighbors became alarmed, and in all the mountains of Judea people continued talking about all these things.

66 The people who heard about them wondered, saying, “What will this child be?” because the Lord was with him.

Zechariah Praises God

67 Then Zechariah, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to help his people and has given them freedom.

69 He has given us a powerful Savior from the family of God’s servant David.

70 He said that he would do this through his holy prophets who lived long ago:

71 He promised he would save us from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us.

72 He said he would give mercy to our ancestors and that he would remember his holy promise.

73 God promised Abraham, our father,

74 that he would save us from the power of our enemies so we could serve him without fear,

75 being holy and good before God as long as we live.

76 “Now you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go before the Lord to prepare his way.

77 You will make his people know that they will be saved by having their sins forgiven.

78 With the loving mercy of our God, a new day from heaven will dawn upon us.

79 It will shine on those who live in darkness, in the shadow of death.
It will guide us into the path of peace.”
80 And so the child grew up and became strong in spirit. John lived in the desert until the time when he came out to preach to Israel.

Luke 1

Explanatory Preface

1 Nowt many have undertaken to compile an accountt of the thingst that have been fulfilledt among us,2 like the accountst passed ont to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the words from the beginning.t3 Sot it seemed good to me as well,s because I have followedt all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly accounts for you, most excellent Theophilus,

4 so that you may know for certaint the things you were taught.t

Birth Announcement of John the Baptist

5 During the reignt of Herods king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged tot the priestly division of Abijah,s and he had a wife named Elizabeth,t who was a descendant of Aaron.ts6 Theyt were both righteous in the sight of God, followingts all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.t

7 But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren,s and they were both very old.t
8 Nowt while Zechariaht was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,ts9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood,t to entert the holy placet of the Lord and burn incense.10 Nowt the whole crowdt of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.t11 Ant angel of the Lord,t standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeareds to him.12 And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel,t was seized with fear.t13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard,ts and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; yout will name him John.ts14 Joy and gladness will comet to you, and many will rejoice att his birth,t15 for he will be great in the sight oft the Lord. Het must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.ts16 Het will turns many of the peoplet of Israel to the Lord their God.

17 And he will go as forerunner before the Lordt in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,s to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
18 Zechariaht said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this?t For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.”t19 Thet angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who standst in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bringt you this good news.

20 And now,t because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time,s you will be silent, unable to speak,s until the day these things take place.”
21 Nowt the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wondert why he was delayed in the holy place.t22 Whent he came out, he was not able to speak to them. Theyt realized that he had seen a visiont in the holy place,t becauset he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak.t

23 When his time of service was over,t he went to his home.
24 After some timet his wife Elizabeth became pregnant,t and for five months she kept herself in seclusion.s She said,t

25 “This is whatt the Lord has done for me at the timet when he has been gracious to me,t to take away my disgraces among people.”t

Birth Announcement of Jesus the Messiah

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy,t the angel Gabriels was sent byt God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,ss27 to a virgin engagedt to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David,ts and the virgin’s name was Mary.28 Thet angelt camet to her and said, “Greetings, favored one,t the Lord is with you!”s29 Buts she was greatly troubleds by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting.t30 Sot the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,s Mary, for you have found favorts with God!31 Listen:t You will become pregnantt and give birth tot a son, and you will name himt Jesus.ts32 Het will be great,s and will be called the Son of the Most High,s and the Lord God will give him the throne of his fathert David.33 Het will reign over the house of Jacobts forever, and his kingdom will never end.”34 Maryt said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations witht a man?”

35 The angel replied,t “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadows you. Therefore the childt to be borns will be holy;t he will be called the Son of God.
36 “And look,t your relativet Elizabeth has also become pregnant witht a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month!t37 For nothingt will be impossible with God.”

38 Sot Mary said, “Yes,t I am a servantt of the Lord; let this happen to met according to your word.”s Thent the angel departed from her.

Mary and Elizabeth

39 In those dayss Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah,s40 and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.41 Whent Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leapeds in hert womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.s42 Shet exclaimed with a loud voice,t “Blessed are you among women,s and blessed is the childt in your womb!43 And who am It that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me?44 For the instantt the sound of your greeting reached my ears,t the baby in my womb leaped for joy.s

45 And blesseds is she who believed thatt what was spoken to her byt the Lord would be fulfilled.”ts

Mary’s Hymn of Praise

46 And Marys said,s
“My soul exaltst the Lord,s

47 and my spirit has begun to rejoicet in God my Savior,

48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant.t
Fort from now ons all generations will call me blessed,s

49 because he who is mightyt has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

50 fromt generation to generation he is mercifuls to those who feart him.

51 He has demonstrated powert with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogancet of their hearts.

52 He has brought down the mightyt from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position;ts

53 he has filled the hungry with good things,s and has sent the rich away empty.s

54 He has helped his servant Israel, rememberingt his mercy,t

55 as he promisedt to our ancestors,t to Abraham and to his descendantst forever.”

56 Sot Mary stayed with Elizabetht about three monthss and then returned to her home.

The Birth of John

57 Now the time camet for Elizabeth to have her baby,t and she gave birth to a son.

58 Hert neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shownt great mercy to her, and they rejoicedt with her.
59 Ont the eighth days they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to namet him Zechariah after his father.60 Butt his mother replied,t “No! He must be namedt John.”s61 Theyt said to her, “Butt none of your relatives bears this name.”t62 Sot they made signs to the baby’st father,s inquiring what he wanted to name his son.t63 Het asked for a writing tablets and wrote,t “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.s64 Immediatelyt Zechariah’st mouth was opened and his tongues released,t and he spoke, blessing God.65 Allts their neighbors were filled with fear, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea all these things were talked about.

66 Allt who heard these thingst kept them in their hearts,t saying, “What then will this child be?”t For the Lord’s hands was indeed with him.

Zechariah’s Praise and Prediction

67 Thent his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,ts

68 “Blesseds be the Lord God of Israel,
because he has come to helps and has redeemedts his people.

69 Fort he has raised ups a horn of salvations for us in the house of his servant David,s

70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago,t

71 that we should be savedt from our enemies,s
and from the hand of all who hate us.

72 He has done thist to show mercys to our ancestors,t
and to remember his holy covenants –

73 the oatht that he swore to our ancestort Abraham.
This oath grantst

74 that we, being rescued from the hand of ours enemies,
may serve him without fear,t

75 in holiness and righteousnesss before him for as long as we live.t

76 And you, child,s will be called the prophett of the Most High.s
For you will go befores the Lord to prepare his ways,ts

77 to give his people knowledge of salvations through the forgivenesss of their sins.

78 Because oft our God’s tender mercys
the dawns will breakt upon us from on high

79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,s
to guide our feet into the wayt of peace.”

80 And the child kept growingt and becoming strongt in spirit, and he was in the wildernesst until the day he was revealedt to Israel.