1:1 | DEAR THEOPHILUS, Many people have already written an account of the events which have happened among us, |
1:2 | basing their work on the evidence of those who, we know, were eyewitnesses as well as teachers of the message. |
1:3 | I have therefore, decided, since I have traced the course of happenings carefully from the beginning, to set them down fro you myself in their proper order, |
1:4 | so that you may have reliable information about the matters in which you have already had instruction. |
1:5 | The story begins in the days when Herod was king of Judaea with a priest called Zacharias (who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood), whose wife Elisabeth was, like him, a descendant of Aaron. |
1:6 | They were both truly religious people, blamelessly observing all the Lord's commandments and requirements. |
1:7 | They were childless through Elisabeth's infertility, and both of them were getting on in years. |
1:8 | One day, while Zacharias was performing his priestly functions (it was the turn of his division to be on duty), |
1:9 | it fell to him to go into the sanctuary and burn the incense. |
1:10 | The crowded congregation outside was praying at the actual time of the incenseburning, |
1:11 | when an angel of the Lord appeared on the right side of the incensealtar. |
1:12 | When Zacharias saw him, he was terribly agitated and a sense of awe swept over him. |
1:13 | But the angel spoke to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias; your prayers have been heard. Elisabeth your wife will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. |
1:14 | This will be joy and delight to you and many more will be glad because he is born. |
1:15 | He will be one of God's great men; he will touch neither wine nor strong drink and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the moment of his birth. |
1:16 | He will turn many of Israel's children to the Lord their God. |
1:17 | He will go out before God in the spirit and power of Elijahto reconcile fathers and children, and bring back the disobedient to the wisdom of good menand he will make a people fully ready for their Lord." |
1:18 | But Zacharias replied to the angel, "How can I know that this is true? I am an old man myself and my wife is getting on in years..." |
1:19 | "I am Gabriel," the angel answered. "I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. |
1:20 | Because you do not believe what I have said, you shall live in silence, and you shall be unable to speak a word until the day that it happens. But be sure that everything that I have told you will come true at the proper time." |
1:21 | Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zacharias, wondering why he stayed so long in the sanctuary. |
1:22 | But when he came out and was unable to speak a word to themfor although he kept making signs, not a sound came from his lipsthey realised that he had seen a vision in the Temple. |
1:23 | Later, when his days of duty were over, he went back home, |
1:24 | and soon afterwards his wife Elisabeth became pregnant and kept herself secluded for five months. |
1:25 | "How good the Lord is to me," she would say, "now that he has taken away the shame that I have suffered." |
1:26 | Then, in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a Galilean town, Nazareth by name, |
1:27 | to a young woman who was engaged to a man called Joseph (a descendant of David). The girl's name was Mary. |
1:28 | The angel entered her room and said, "Greetings to you, Mary. O favored one!the Lord is with you!" |
1:29 | Mary was deeply perturbed at these words and wondered what such a greeting could possibly mean. |
1:30 | But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; God loves you dearly. |
1:31 | You are going to be the mother of a son, and you will call him Jesus. |
1:32 | He will be great and will be known as the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his forefather, David, |
1:33 | and he will be king over the people of Jacob for ever. His reign shall never end." |
1:34 | Then Mary spoke to the angel, "How can this be," she said, "I am not married!" |
1:35 | But the angel made this reply to her: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Your child will therefore be called holythe Son of God. |
1:36 | Your cousin Elisabeth has also conceived a son, old as she is. Indeed, this is the sixth month for her, a woman who was called barren. |
1:37 | For no promise of God can fail to be fulfilled." |
1:38 | "I belong to the Lord, body and soul" replied Mary, "let it happen as you say." And at this the angel left her. |
1:39 | With little delay Mary got ready and hurried off to the hillside town in Judaea |
1:40 | where Zacharias and Elisabeth lived. She went into their house and greeted Elisabeth. |
1:41 | When she heard Mary's greeting, the unborn child stirred inside her and she herself was fined with the Holy Spirit, |
1:42 | and cried out, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is your child! |
1:43 | What an honour it is to have the mother of my Lord come to see me! |
1:44 | As soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child within me jumped for joy! |
1:45 | Oh, how happy is the woman who believes in God, for his promises to her come true." |
1:46 | Then Mary said, "My heart is overflowing with praise of my, Lord, |
1:47 | my soul is full of joy in God my Saviour. |
1:48 | For he has deigned to notice me, his humble servant and all generations to come will call me the happiest of women! |
1:49 | The One who can do all things has done great things for meoh, holy is his Name! |
1:50 | Truly, his mercy rests on those who fear him in every generation |
1:51 | He has shown the strength of his arm, he has swept away the high and mighty. |
1:52 | He has set kings down from their thrones and lifted up the humble. |
1:53 | He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. |
1:54 | Yes, he has helped Israel, his child: he has remembered the mercy |
1:55 | that he promised to our forefathers, to Abraham and his sons for evermore!" |
1:56 | So Mary stayed with Elisabeth about three months, and then went back to her own home. |
1:57 | Then came the time for Elisabeth's child to be born, and she gave birth to a son. |
1:58 | Her neighbors and relations heard of the great mercy the Lord had shown her and shared her joy. |
1:59 | When the eighth day came, they were going to circumcise the child and call him Zacharias, after his father, |
1:60 | but his mother said, "Oh, no! He must be called John." |
1:61 | "But none of your relations is called John," they replied. |
1:62 | And they made signs to his father to see what name he wanted the child to have. |
1:63 | He beckoned for a writingtablet and wrote the words, "His name is John", which greatly surprised everybody. |
1:64 | Then his power of speech suddenly came back, and his first words were to thank God. |
1:65 | The neighbors were awestruck at this, and all these incidents were reported everywhere in the hillcountry of Judaea. |
1:66 | People turned the whole matter over in their hearts, and said, "What is this child's future going to be? For the Lord's blessing is plainly upon him." |
1:67 | Then Zacharias, his father, filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking like a prophet, said, |
1:68 | "Blessings on the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has turned his face towards his people and has set them free! |
1:69 | And he has raised up for us a standard of salvation in the house of his servant David. |
1:70 | Long, long ago, through the words of his holy prophets, he promised to do this for us, |
1:71 | so that we should be safe from our enemies and secure from all who hate us. |
1:72 | So does he continue the mercy he showed to our forefathers. So does he remember the holy agreement he made with them and |
1:73 | the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, |
1:74 | to make us this gift: that we should be saved from the hands of our enemies, and in his presence should serve him unafraid |
1:75 | in holiness and righteousness all our lives. |
1:76 | "And you, little child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare the way for his coming. |
1:77 | It will be for you to give his people knowledge of their salvation through the forgiveness of their sins. |
1:78 | Because the heart of our God is full of mercy rewards us, the first light of Heaven shall come to visit us |
1:79 | to shine on those who lie in darkness and under the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the path of peace." |
1:80 | The little child grew up and became strong in spirit. He lived in lonely places until the day came for him to show himself to Israel |