1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,G1895G4183G2021G392G1335G4012G4229G4135G1722G22542just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them down to us,G2531G3860G2254G3588G575G746G1096G845G2532G5257G30563it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write [it] out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;G1380G2504G199G3877G3956G509G1125G4671G2517G2903G23214so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.G2443G1921G803G4012G3056G3739G27275In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.G1096G1722G2250G2264G935G2449G5100G2409G3686G2197G1537G2183G7G2532G846G1135G1537G2364G2G2532G846G3686G16656And they were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.G1161G2258G297G1342G1799G2316G4198G1722G3956G1785G2532G1345G2962G2737And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.G2532G846G2258G3756G5043G2530G1665G2258G4723G2532G846G297G2258G4260G1722G22508Now it came about, while he was performing his priestly service before God in the [appointed] order of his division,G1161G1096G1722G846G2407G1725G2316G1722G5010G846G21839according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.G2596G1485G2405G2975G2370G1525G1519G3485G296210And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.G2532G3956G4128G2992G2258G4336G1854G5610G236811And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.G1161G3700G846G32G2962G2476G1537G1188G2379G236812And Zacharias was troubled when he saw [him,] and fear gripped him.G2532G2197G1492G5015G2532G5401G1968G1909G84613But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.G1161G32G2036G4314G846G5399G3361G2197G1360G4675G1162G1522G2532G4675G1135G1665G1080G4671G5207G2532G2564G846G3686G249114"And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.G2532G4671G2071G5479G2532G20G2532G4183G5463G1909G846G108315"For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine or liquor; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, while yet in his mother's womb.G1063G2071G3173G1799G2962G2532G4095G3364G3631G2532G4608G2532G4130G40G4151G2089G1537G846G3384G283616"And he will turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.G2532G4183G5207G2474G1994G1909G2962G846G231617"And it is he who will go [as a forerunner] before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous; so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."G2532G846G4281G1799G846G1722G4151G2532G1411G2243G1994G2588G3962G1909G5043G2532G545G1722G5428G1342G2090G2992G2680G296218And Zacharias said to the angel, "How shall I know this [for certain]? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."G2532G2197G2036G4314G32G2596G5101G1097G5124G1063G1473G1510G4246G2532G3450G1135G4260G1722G2250G84619And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.G2532G32G611G2036G846G1473G1510G1043G3936G1799G2316G2532G649G2980G4314G4571G2532G2097G4671G5023G209720"And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their proper time."G2532G2400G2071G4623G2532G3361G1410G2980G891G2250G3739G5023G1096G473G3739G4100G3756G3450G3056G3748G4137G1519G846G254021And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple.G2532G2992G2258G4328G2197G2532G2296G1722G846G5549G1722G348522But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute.G1161G1831G1410G3756G2980G846G2532G1921G3754G3708G3701G1722G3485G2532G846G2258G1269G846G2532G1265G297423And it came about, when the days of his priestly service were ended, that he went back home.G2532G1096G5613G2250G846G3009G4130G565G1519G846G362424And after these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant; and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,G1161G3326G5025G2250G846G1135G1665G4815G2532G4032G1438G4002G3376G300425"This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked [with favor] upon [me,] to take away my disgrace among men."G3754G3779G4160G2962G4160G3427G1722G2250G3739G1896G851G3450G3681G1722G44426Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth,G1161G1722G1623G3376G32G1043G649G5259G2316G1519G4172G1056G3739G3686G347827to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.G4314G3933G3423G435G3739G3686G2501G1537G3624G1138G2532G3933G3686G313728And coming in, he said to her, "Hail, favored one! The Lord [is] with you."G2532G32G1525G4314G846G2036G5463G5487G2962G3326G4675G2127G4771G1722G113529But she was greatly troubled at [this] statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this might be.G1161G1492G1298G1909G846G3056G2532G1260G4217G783G3778G149830And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.G2532G32G2036G846G5399G3361G3137G1063G2147G5485G3844G231631"And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.G2532G2400G4815G1722G1064G2532G5088G5207G2532G2564G846G3686G242432"He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;G3778G2071G3173G2532G2564G5207G5310G2532G2962G2316G1325G846G2362G846G3962G113833and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end. "G2532G936G1909G3624G2384G1519G165G2532G846G932G2071G3756G505634And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"G1161G2036G3137G4314G32G4459G2071G5124G2071G1893G1097G3756G43535And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.G2532G32G611G2036G846G40G4151G1904G1909G4571G2532G1411G5310G1982G4671G1352G2532G40G1080G1537G4675G2564G5207G231636"And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.G2532G2400G4675G4773G1665G846G4815G2532G4815G5207G1722G846G1094G2532G3778G2076G1623G3376G846G3588G2564G472337"For nothing will be impossible with God."G3754G3844G2316G3756G3956G4487G10138And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; be it done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.G1161G3137G2036G2400G1399G2962G1096G3427G2596G4675G4487G2532G32G565G575G84639Now at this time Mary arose and went with haste to the hill country, to a city of Judah,G1161G3137G450G1722G5025G2250G4198G1519G3714G3326G4710G1519G4172G244840and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.G2532G1525G1519G3624G2197G2532G782G166541And it came about that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.G2532G1096G5613G1665G191G783G3137G1025G4640G1722G846G2836G2532G1665G4130G40G415142And she cried out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed among women [are] you, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb!G2532G400G3173G5456G2532G2036G2127G4771G1722G1135G2532G2127G2590G4675G283643"And how has it [happened] to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?G2532G4159G5124G3427G2443G3384G3450G2962G2064G4314G316544"For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.G1063G2400G5613G5456G4675G783G1096G1519G3450G3775G1025G4640G1722G3450G2836G1722G2045"And blessed [is] she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."G2532G3107G4100G3754G2071G5050G2980G846G3844G296246And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord,G2532G3137G2036G3450G5590G3170G296247And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.G2532G3450G4151G21G1909G2316G3450G499048"For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.G3754G1914G1909G5014G846G1399G1063G2400G575G3568G3956G1074G3106G3165G310649"For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.G3754G1415G4160G3427G3167G2532G40G846G368650"AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.G2532G846G1656G5399G846G1519G1074G107451"He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered [those who were] proud in the thoughts of their heart.G4160G2904G1722G846G1023G1287G5244G1271G846G258852"He has brought down rulers from [their] thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.G2507G1413G575G2362G2532G5312G501153"HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; AND SENT AWAY THE RICH Empty-handed.G1705G3983G18G2532G4147G1821G2756G182154"He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy,G482G846G3816G2474G3415G165655As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his offspring forever. "G2531G2980G4314G2257G3962G11G2532G846G4690G1519G16556And Mary stayed with her about three months, and [then] returned to her home.G1161G3137G3306G4862G846G5616G5140G3376G2532G5290G1519G846G362457Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she brought forth a son.G1161G1665G4130G5550G4130G846G5088G2532G1080G520758And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.G2532G4040G2532G846G4773G191G3754G2962G3170G1656G846G3326G846G2532G4796G84659And it came about that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father.G2532G1096G1722G3590G2250G2064G4059G3813G2532G2564G846G2197G1909G3686G846G396260And his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John."G2532G846G3384G611G2036G3780G235G2564G249161And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name."G2532G2036G4314G846G3754G2076G3762G1722G4675G4772G3739G2564G5129G368662And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.G1161G1770G846G3962G5101G302G2309G846G256463And he asked for a tablet, and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished.G2532G154G4093G1125G3004G846G3686G2076G2491G2532G2296G395664And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue [loosed,] and he [began] to speak in praise of God.G1161G846G4750G455G3916G2532G846G1100G2532G2980G2127G231665And fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea.G2532G5401G1096G1909G3956G4039G846G2532G3956G5023G4487G1255G1722G3650G3714G244966And all who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child [turn out to] be?" For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.G2532G3956G191G5087G1722G846G2588G3004G5101G686G3813G2071G5124G2071G2532G5495G2962G2258G3326G84667And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:G2532G846G3962G2197G4130G40G4151G2532G4395G300468"Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,G2128G2962G2316G2474G3754G1980G2532G3085G846G2992G416069And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant—G2532G1453G2768G4991G2254G1722G3624G846G3816G113870As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—G2531G2980G1223G4750G846G40G4396G3588G575G16571Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;G4991G1537G2257G2190G2532G1537G5495G3956G3404G224872To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,G4160G1656G3326G2257G3962G2532G3415G846G40G124273The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,G3727G3739G3660G4314G2257G3962G1174To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,G1325G2254G4506G1537G5495G2257G2190G3000G846G87075In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.G1722G3742G2532G1343G1799G846G3956G2250G2257G222276"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;G2532G4771G3813G2564G4396G5310G1063G4313G4253G4383G2962G2090G846G359877To give to His people [the] knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,G1325G1108G4991G846G2992G1722G859G846G26678Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high shall visit us,G1223G4698G1656G2257G2316G1722G3739G395G1537G5311G1980G224879TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace. "G2014G2521G1722G4655G2532G4639G2288G2720G2257G4228G1519G3598G151580And the child continued to grow, and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.G1161G3813G837G2532G2901G4151G2532G2258G1722G2048G2193G2250G846G323G4314G2474
Unknown
