'Inasmuch as1many2have undertaken3to compile4a narrative5of6the7things11that have been accomplished8among9us,10 just as1those4who10from5the beginning6were10eyewitnesses7and8ministers9of the11word12have delivered2themto us,3 it seemed good1to me also,2having followed3all things5closely6for some time past,4to write9an orderly account7for you,8most excellent10Theophilus,11 that1you may have2certainty8concerning3the things4you have been taught.5 In2the3days4of Herod,5king6of Judea,8there was1a10priest9named11Zechariah,12of13the division14of Abijah.15And16he had18a wife17from19the20daughters21of Aaron,22and23her26name25wasElizabeth.27 And2they were1both4righteous3before5God,7walking8blamelessly17in9all10the11commandments12and13statutes14of the15Lord.16 But1they had34no2child,5because6Elizabeth9was7barren,10and11both12were18advanced13in14years.16 Now2while34he6was serving as priest5before13God15whenhis12division11wason7duty,9 according to1the2custom3of the4priesthood,5he was chosen by lot6to enter9the11temple12of the13Lord14andburn incense.8 And1the3whole2multitude4of the6people7were5praying8outside9at the10hour11of incense.13 And2thereappeared1to him3an angel4of the Lord5standing6on7the right side8of the9altar10of incense.12 And1Zechariah3was troubled2when he saw4him,and5fear6fell7upon8him.9 But2the5angel6said1to3him,4“Donot7be afraid,8Zechariah,9for10your14prayer13has been heard,11and15your18wife17Elizabeth19will bear20you22a son,21and23you shall call24his27name26John.28 And1you4will have2joy3and5gladness,6and7many8will rejoice13at9his12birth,11 for2he will be1great3before4the5Lord.6And7he must13not1112drink13wine8or9strong drink,10and14he will be filled with17theHoly16Spirit,15even18from19his22mother’s21womb.20 And1he will turn6many2of the3children4of Israel5to7the Lord8their11God,10 and1he2will go3before4him5in6the spirit7and8power9of Elijah,10to turn11the hearts12of the fathers13to14the children,15and16the disobedient17to18the wisdom19of the just,20to make ready21for the Lord22a people23prepared.”24 And1Zechariah3said2to4the5angel,6“How78shall I know9this?10For12I11am13an old man,14and15my18wife17is advanced19in20years.”22 And1the3angel4answered2him,6“I7am8Gabriel.9Istand11in the presence12of God,14and15I was sent16to speak17to18you19and20to bring21you22this23good news.21 And1behold,2you will be3silent4and5unable67to speak8until9the day11that10these things13take place,12because14you did17not16believe17my20words,19which21will be fulfilled22in23their26time.”25 And1the3people4were2waiting for5Zechariah,7and8they were wondering9at10his16delay12in13the14temple.15 And2when he came out,1he was unable34to speak5to them,6and7they realized8that9he had seen11a vision10in12the13temple.14And15he16kept making signs1718to them19and20remained21mute.22 And1when3his9time6of service8was ended,4he went10to11his14home.13 After1these3days5his10wife9Elizabeth7conceived,6and11forfive15months14she kept12herself13hidden,12saying,16 “Thus2the Lord5has done4for me3in6the days7when8he looked on9me,to take away10my12reproach11among13people.”14 In1the3sixth6month4the8angel9Gabriel10was sent7from11God13to14a city15of Galilee17named1819Nazareth,20 to1a virgin2betrothed3to a man4whose5name6wasJoseph,7of8the house of9David.10And11the12virgin’s15name13wasMary.16 And1he came2to3her4andsaid,5“Greetings,6Ofavored one,7the8Lord9iswith10you!”11 But2she1was greatly troubled6at3the4saying,5and7tried to discern8what sort of9greeting12this13might be.10 And1the3angel4said2to her,5“Donot6be afraid,7Mary,8for10you have found9favor11with12God.14 And1behold,2you will conceive3in4yourwomb5and6bear7a son,8and9you shall call10his13name12Jesus.14 He1will be2great3and4will be called7the Son5of the Most High.6And8the Lord11God13will give9to him10the14throne15of18his19father18David,16 and1he will reign2over3the4house5of Jacob6forever,79and10of12his13kingdom12there will be15no14end.”16 And2Mary3said1to4the5angel,6“How7will8this9be,8since10I am a virgin?”111213 And1the3angel4answered2her,6“TheHoly8Spirit7will come9upon10you,11and12the power13of the Most High14will overshadow15you;16therefore17the [child]19to be born20will be called22holy—21the Son23of God.24 And1behold,2your6relative5Elizabeth3in11her8old age12has9also7conceived9a son,10and7this15is18the sixth17month16with her19who was called21barren.22 For1nothing27will be impossible3with4God.”6 And2Mary3said,1“Behold,4I amthe5servant6of the Lord;7let it be8to me9according to10your13word.”12And14the18angel19departed15from16her.17 In4those7days6Mary3arose1andwent8with12haste13into9the10hill country,11to14a town15in Judah,16 and1she entered2the4house5of Zechariah6and7greeted8Elizabeth.10 And1when3Elizabeth10heard4the5greeting6of Mary,8the12baby13leaped11in14her17womb.16And18Elizabeth23was filled with19theHoly21Spirit,20 and1she exclaimed2with a loud4cry,3“Blessed7areyou8among9women,10and11blessed12isthe13fruit14of16your17womb!16 And1why2isthis4grantedto me3that5the7mother8of10my11Lord10should come6to12me?13 For2behold,1when3the5sound6of8your9greeting8came4to10my13ears,12the17baby18in19my22womb21leaped14for15joy.16 And1blessed2isshe3who believed4that5there would be6a fulfillment of7what was spoken to89her10from11the Lord.”12 And1Mary3said,2“My7soul6magnifies4the8Lord,9 and1my5spirit4rejoices2in6God8my11Savior,10 for1he has looked2on3the4humble estate5of7his8servant.7For10behold,9from11now on13all16generations18will call14me15blessed;14 for1he5who ismighty6has done2great [things]4for me,3and7holy8ishis11name.10 And1his4mercy3isfor those9who fear10him11from5generation6to generation.8 He has shown1strength2with3his5arm;4he has scattered6theproud7in the thoughts8of9their10hearts;9 he has brought down1the mighty2from3theirthrones4and5exalted6those ofhumble estate;7 he has filled2the hungry1with2good things,3and4the rich5he has sent away6empty.7 He has helped1his4servant3Israel,2in remembrance of5[his] mercy,6 as1he spoke2to3our6fathers,5to Abraham8and9to11his12offspring11forever.”1315 And2Mary3remained1with4her5about6three8months7and9returned10to11her14home.13 Now2the5time6came4forElizabeth3to give birth,8and10she bore11a son.12 And1her8neighbors4and5relatives7heard2that9the Lord11had shown great10mercy13to15her,16and17they rejoiced with18her.19 And1on3the6eighth7day5they came8to circumcise9the10child.11And12they would have called13him14Zechariah21after15his20father,19 but1his5mother4answered,2“No;7he shall be called9John.”10 And1they said2to3her,4“None6of8your11relatives10is called13by this16name.”15 And2they made signs to1his5father,4inquiring8what7he wanted9him11to be called.10 And1he asked for2a writing tablet3andwrote,4“His9name8is7John.”6And10they11all12wondered.11 And2immediately6his5mouth4was opened1and7his10tongue9loosed,and11he spoke,12blessing13God.15 And1fear5came2on3all4their8neighbors.7And9all17these20things19were talked about16through10all11the12hill country13of Judea,15 and1all3who heard5themlaid [them] up2in6their9hearts,8saying,10“What11then12will16this15child14be?”16For18the hand19of the Lord20was21with22him.23 And1his5father4Zechariah2was filled with6theHoly8Spirit7and9prophesied,10saying,11 “Blessed1bethe Lord2God4of Israel,56for7he has visited8and9redeemed1011his14people13 and1has raised up2a horn3of salvation4for us5in6the house7of9his10servant9David,8 as1he spoke2by3the mouth4of9his10holy6prophets9from of old,78 [that we should be] saved1from2our4enemies3and5from6the hand7of all8who hate10us;11 to show1the mercy2promisedto3our6fathers5and7to remember8his11holy10covenant,9 the oath1that2he swore3to4our8father7Abraham,5to grant10us11 that we,being delivered5from2the hand3of4ourenemies,4might serve6him7without fear,1 in1holiness2and3righteousness4before5him6all7our10days.9 And1you,2child,4will be called7the prophet5of the Most High;6for9you will go8before10the Lord11to prepare12his14ways,13 to give2knowledge3of salvation4to6his7people6in8the forgiveness9of10their11sins,10 because of1the tender2mercy3of4our5God,4whereby67the sunrise10shall visit8us9from11on high12 to give light1to those2who sit8in3darkness4and5in the shadow6of death,7to guide10our13feet12into14the way15of peace.”16 And2the1child3grew4and5became strong6in spirit,7and8he was9in10the11wilderness12until13the day14of15his16public appearance15to17Israel.19