Luke 1
1Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us,G1895G4183G2021G392G1335G4012G4229G4135G1722G22542just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,G2531G3860G2254G3588G575G746G1096G845G2532G5257G30563I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,G1380G2504G199G3877G3956G509G1125G4671G2517G2903G23214so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.G2443G1921G803G4012G3056G3739G27275In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.G1096G1722G2250G2264G935G2449G5100G2409G3686G2197G1537G2183G7G2532G846G1135G1537G2364G2G2532G846G3686G16656Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.G1161G2258G297G1342G1799G2316G4198G1722G3956G1785G2532G1345G2962G2737But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.G2532G846G2258G3756G5043G2530G1665G2258G4723G2532G846G297G2258G4260G1722G22508Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty,G1161G1096G1722G846G2407G1725G2316G1722G5010G846G21839he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.G2596G1485G2405G2975G2370G1525G1519G3485G296210Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.G2532G3956G4128G2992G2258G4336G1854G5610G236811Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.G1161G3700G846G32G2962G2476G1537G1188G2379G236812When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.G2532G2197G1492G5015G2532G5401G1968G1909G84613But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.G1161G32G2036G4314G846G5399G3361G2197G1360G4675G1162G1522G2532G4675G1135G1665G1080G4671G5207G2532G2564G846G3686G249114You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,G2532G4671G2071G5479G2532G20G2532G4183G5463G1909G846G108315for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.G1063G2071G3173G1799G2962G2532G4095G3364G3631G2532G4608G2532G4130G40G4151G2089G1537G846G3384G283616He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.G2532G4183G5207G2474G1994G1909G2962G846G231617With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."G2532G846G4281G1799G846G1722G4151G2532G1411G2243G1994G2588G3962G1909G5043G2532G545G1722G5428G1342G2090G2992G2680G296218Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years."G2532G2197G2036G4314G32G2596G5101G1097G5124G1063G1473G1510G4246G2532G3450G1135G4260G1722G2250G84619The angel replied, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.G2532G32G611G2036G846G1473G1510G1043G3936G1799G2316G2532G649G2980G4314G4571G2532G2097G4671G5023G209720But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur."G2532G2400G2071G4623G2532G3361G1410G2980G891G2250G3739G5023G1096G473G3739G4100G3756G3450G3056G3748G4137G1519G846G254021Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary.G2532G2992G2258G4328G2197G2532G2296G1722G846G5549G1722G348522When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak.G1161G1831G1410G3756G2980G846G2532G1921G3754G3708G3701G1722G3485G2532G846G2258G1269G846G2532G1265G297423When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.G2532G1096G5613G2250G846G3009G4130G565G1519G846G362424After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said,G1161G3326G5025G2250G846G1135G1665G4815G2532G4032G1438G4002G3376G300425"This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people."G3754G3779G4160G2962G4160G3427G1722G2250G3739G1896G851G3450G3681G1722G44426In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,G1161G1722G1623G3376G32G1043G649G5259G2316G1519G4172G1056G3739G3686G347827to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.G4314G3933G3423G435G3739G3686G2501G1537G3624G1138G2532G3933G3686G313728And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."G2532G32G1525G4314G846G2036G5463G5487G2962G3326G4675G2127G4771G1722G113529But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.G1161G1492G1298G1909G846G3056G2532G1260G4217G783G3778G149830The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.G2532G32G2036G846G5399G3361G3137G1063G2147G5485G3844G231631And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.G2532G2400G4815G1722G1064G2532G5088G5207G2532G2564G846G3686G242432He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.G3778G2071G3173G2532G2564G5207G5310G2532G2962G2316G1325G846G2362G846G3962G113833He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."G2532G936G1909G3624G2384G1519G165G2532G846G932G2071G3756G505634Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"G1161G2036G3137G4314G32G4459G2071G5124G2071G1893G1097G3756G43535The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.G2532G32G611G2036G846G40G4151G1904G1909G4571G2532G1411G5310G1982G4671G1352G2532G40G1080G1537G4675G2564G5207G231636And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.G2532G2400G4675G4773G1665G846G4815G2532G4815G5207G1722G846G1094G2532G3778G2076G1623G3376G846G3588G2564G472337For nothing will be impossible with God."G3754G3844G2316G3756G3956G4487G10138Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.G1161G3137G2036G2400G1399G2962G1096G3427G2596G4675G4487G2532G32G565G575G84639In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,G1161G3137G450G1722G5025G2250G4198G1519G3714G3326G4710G1519G4172G244840where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.G2532G1525G1519G3624G2197G2532G782G166541When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy SpiritG2532G1096G5613G1665G191G783G3137G1025G4640G1722G846G2836G2532G1665G4130G40G415142and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.G2532G400G3173G5456G2532G2036G2127G4771G1722G1135G2532G2127G2590G4675G283643And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?G2532G4159G5124G3427G2443G3384G3450G2962G2064G4314G316544For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.G1063G2400G5613G5456G4675G783G1096G1519G3450G3775G1025G4640G1722G3450G2836G1722G2045And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."G2532G3107G4100G3754G2071G5050G2980G846G3844G296246And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,G2532G3137G2036G3450G5590G3170G296247and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,G2532G3450G4151G21G1909G2316G3450G499048for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;G3754G1914G1909G5014G846G1399G1063G2400G575G3568G3956G1074G3106G3165G310649for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.G3754G1415G4160G3427G3167G2532G40G846G368650His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.G2532G846G1656G5399G846G1519G1074G107451He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.G4160G2904G1722G846G1023G1287G5244G1271G846G258852He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;G2507G1413G575G2362G2532G5312G501153he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.G1705G3983G18G2532G4147G1821G2756G182154He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,G482G846G3816G2474G3415G165655according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."G2531G2980G4314G2257G3962G11G2532G846G4690G1519G16556And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.G1161G3137G3306G4862G846G5616G5140G3376G2532G5290G1519G846G362457Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.G1161G1665G4130G5550G4130G846G5088G2532G1080G520758Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.G2532G4040G2532G846G4773G191G3754G2962G3170G1656G846G3326G846G2532G4796G84659On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father.G2532G1096G1722G3590G2250G2064G4059G3813G2532G2564G846G2197G1909G3686G846G396260But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John."G2532G846G3384G611G2036G3780G235G2564G249161They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name."G2532G2036G4314G846G3754G2076G3762G1722G4675G4772G3739G2564G5129G368662Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him.G1161G1770G846G3962G5101G302G2309G846G256463He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed.G2532G154G4093G1125G3004G846G3686G2076G2491G2532G2296G395664Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God.G1161G846G4750G455G3916G2532G846G1100G2532G2980G2127G231665Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea.G2532G5401G1096G1909G3956G4039G846G2532G3956G5023G4487G1255G1722G3650G3714G244966All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.G2532G3956G191G5087G1722G846G2588G3004G5101G686G3813G2071G5124G2071G2532G5495G2962G2258G3326G84667Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:G2532G846G3962G2197G4130G40G4151G2532G4395G300468"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.G2128G2962G2316G2474G3754G1980G2532G3085G846G2992G416069He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David,G2532G1453G2768G4991G2254G1722G3624G846G3816G113870as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,G2531G2980G1223G4750G846G40G4396G3588G575G16571that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.G4991G1537G2257G2190G2532G1537G5495G3956G3404G224872Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant,G4160G1656G3326G2257G3962G2532G3415G846G40G124273the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant usG3727G3739G3660G4314G2257G3962G1174that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear,G1325G2254G4506G1537G5495G2257G2190G3000G846G87075in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.G1722G3742G2532G1343G1799G846G3956G2250G2257G222276And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,G2532G4771G3813G2564G4396G5310G1063G4313G4253G4383G2962G2090G846G359877to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.G1325G1108G4991G846G2992G1722G859G846G26678By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,G1223G4698G1656G2257G2316G1722G3739G395G1537G5311G1980G224879to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."G2014G2521G1722G4655G2532G4639G2288G2720G2257G4228G1519G3598G151580The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.G1161G3813G837G2532G2901G4151G2532G2258G1722G2048G2193G2250G846G323G4314G2474
Columbus, OH
