1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to draw up a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2even as they delivered them to us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, 3it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; 4that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed. 5There was in the days of Herod, king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7And they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now advanced in years. 8Now it happened, while he was performing the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 9according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13But the angel said to him, Do not fear, Zacharias: because your supplication has been heard, and your wife Elisabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14And you shall have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16And many of the children of Israel he shall turn to the Lord their God. 17And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him. 18And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. 19And the angel answering said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you these good tidings. 20And behold, you shall be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled while he lingered in the temple. 22And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 23And it happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 24And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men. 26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28And he came in to her, and said, Hail, you who are highly favored, the Lord is with you. 29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what manner of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, Do not fear, Mary: for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call his name YESHUA. 32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give to him the throne of his father David: 33and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34And Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, seeing I do not know a man? 35And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come upon you, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow you: therefore also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God. 36And behold, Elisabeth your kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37For no word from God shall be void of power. 38And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. 39And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; 40and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elisabeth. 41And it happened, when Elisabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit; 42and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43And from where does this come to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed; for there shall be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. 46And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, 47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48For he has looked upon the low estate of his handmaid: For behold, from now on all generations shall call me blessed. 49For he who is mighty has done great things to me; And holy is his name. 50And his mercy is to generations and generations On those who fear him. 51He has shown strength with his arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. 52He has put down princes from their thrones, And has exalted those of low degree. 53The hungry he has filled with good things; And the rich he has sent away empty. 54He has given help to Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy 55(As he spoke to our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed forever. 56And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. 57Now Elisabeth’s time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she gave birth to a son. 58And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her. 59And it happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 61And they said to her, There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name. 62And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called. 63And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they all marveled. 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65And fear came on all who lived around them: and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judæa. 66And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. 67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he has visited and accomplished redemption for his people, 69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David 70(As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), 71Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; 72To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant; 73The oath which he swore to Abraham our father, 74To grant to us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, 75In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High: For you shall go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways; 77To give knowledge of salvation to his people In the remission of their sins, 78Because of the tender mercy of our God, By which the sunrise from on high shall visit us, 79To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace. 80And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts until the day of his showing to Israel.