1Since many people have attempted to write an orderly account of the events that have transpired among us,G1895G4183G2021G392G1335G4012G4229G4135G1722G2254 2just as they were passed down to us by those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning,G2531G3860G2254G3588G575G746G1096G845G2532G5257G3056 3I, too, have carefully investigated everything from the beginning and have decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,G1380G2504G199G3877G3956G509G1125G4671G2517G2903G2321 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.G2443G1921G803G4012G3056G3739G2727 5In 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.G1096G1722G2250G2264G935G2449G5100G2409G3686G2197G1537G2183G7G2532G846G1135G1537G2364G2G2532G846G3686G1665 6Both of them were righteous before God, having lived blamelessly according to all of the commandments and regulations of the Lord.G1161G2258G297G1342G1799G2316G4198G1722G3956G1785G2532G1345G2962G273 7They had no children because Elizabeth was barren and because both of them were getting old.G2532G846G2258G3756G5043G2530G1665G2258G4723G2532G846G297G2258G4260G1722G2250 8When Zechariah was serving with his division of priests in God's presence,G1161G1096G1722G846G2407G1725G2316G1722G5010G846G2183 9he was chosen by lot to go into the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense, according to the custom of the priests.G2596G1485G2405G2975G2370G1525G1519G3485G2962 10And the entire congregation of people was praying outside at the time when the incense was burned.G2532G3956G4128G2992G2258G4336G1854G5610G2368 11An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the incense altar.G1161G3700G846G32G2962G2476G1537G1188G2379G2368 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled, and fear overwhelmed him.G2532G2197G1492G5015G2532G5401G1968G1909G846 13But the angel said to him, "Stop being afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John.G1161G32G2036G4314G846G5399G3361G2197G1360G4675G1162G1522G2532G4675G1135G1665G1080G4671G5207G2532G2564G846G3686G2491 14You will have great joy, and many people will rejoice at his birth,G2532G4671G2071G5479G2532G20G2532G4183G5463G1909G846G1083 15because he will be great in the Lord's presence. He will never drink wine or any strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.G1063G2071G3173G1799G2962G2532G4095G3364G3631G2532G4608G2532G4130G40G4151G2089G1537G846G3384G2836 16He will bring many of Israel's descendants back to the Lord their God.G2532G4183G5207G2474G1994G1909G2962G846G2316 17He is the one who will go before the Lord with the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and to prepare the people to be ready for the Lord."G2532G846G4281G1799G846G1722G4151G2532G1411G2243G1994G2588G3962G1909G5043G2532G545G1722G5428G1342G2090G2992G2680G2962 18Then Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this, since I am an old man, and my wife is getting older?"G2532G2197G2036G4314G32G2596G5101G1097G5124G1063G1473G1510G4246G2532G3450G1135G4260G1722G2250G846 19The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. I have been sent to speak to you and to announce this good news to you.G2532G32G611G2036G846G1473G1510G1043G3936G1799G2316G2532G649G2980G4314G4571G2532G2097G4671G5023G2097 20But because you did not believe my announcement, which will be fulfilled at its proper time, you will become silent and unable to speak until the day this happens."G2532G2400G2071G4623G2532G3361G1410G2980G891G2250G3739G5023G1096G473G3739G4100G3756G3450G3056G3748G4137G1519G846G2540 21Meanwhile, the people kept waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed in the sanctuary so long.G2532G2992G2258G4328G2197G2532G2296G1722G846G5549G1722G3485 22But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them but remained unable to speak.G1161G1831G1410G3756G2980G846G2532G1921G3754G3708G3701G1722G3485G2532G846G2258G1269G846G2532G1265G2974 23When the days of his service were over, he went home.G2532G1096G5613G2250G846G3009G4130G565G1519G846G3624 24After this, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and remained in seclusion for five months. She said,G1161G3326G5025G2250G846G1135G1665G4815G2532G4032G1438G4002G3376G3004 25"This is what the Lord did for me when he looked favorably on me and took away my public disgrace."G3754G3779G4160G2962G4160G3427G1722G2250G3739G1896G851G3450G3681G1722G444 26Now in the sixth month of her pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth,G1161G1722G1623G3376G32G1043G649G5259G2316G1519G4172G1056G3739G3686G3478 27to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.G4314G3933G3423G435G3739G3686G2501G1537G3624G1138G2532G3933G3686G3137 28The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you!"G2532G32G1525G4314G846G2036G5463G5487G2962G3326G4675G2127G4771G1722G1135 29Startled by his statement, she tried to figure out what his greeting meant.G1161G1492G1298G1909G846G3056G2532G1260G4217G783G3778G1498 30Then the angel told her, "Stop being afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God.G2532G32G2036G846G5399G3361G3137G1063G2147G5485G3844G2316 31Listen! You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus.G2532G2400G4815G1722G1064G2532G5088G5207G2532G2564G846G3686G2424 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.G3778G2071G3173G2532G2564G5207G5310G2532G2962G2316G1325G846G2362G846G3962G1138 33He will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end."G2532G936G1909G3624G2384G1519G165G2532G846G932G2071G3756G5056 34Mary asked the angel, "How can this happen, since I have not had relations with a man?"G1161G2036G3137G4314G32G4459G2071G5124G2071G1893G1097G3756G435 35The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come over you, and the power of the Most High will surround you. Therefore, the child will be holy and will be called the Son of God.G2532G32G611G2036G846G40G4151G1904G1909G4571G2532G1411G5310G1982G4671G1352G2532G40G1080G1537G4675G2564G5207G2316 36And listen! Elizabeth, your relative, has herself conceived a son in her old age, this woman who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.G2532G2400G4675G4773G1665G846G4815G2532G4815G5207G1722G846G1094G2532G3778G2076G1623G3376G846G3588G2564G4723 37Nothing is impossible with respect to any of God's promises."G3754G3844G2316G3756G3956G4487G101 38Then Mary said, "Truly I am the Lord's servant. Let everything you have said happen to me." Then the angel left her.G1161G3137G2036G2400G1399G2962G1096G3427G2596G4675G4487G2532G32G565G575G846 39Later on, Mary set out for a Judean city in the hill country.G1161G3137G450G1722G5025G2250G4198G1519G3714G3326G4710G1519G4172G2448 40She went into Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.G2532G1525G1519G3624G2197G2532G782G1665 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby jumped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy SpiritG2532G1096G5613G1665G191G783G3137G1025G4640G1722G846G2836G2532G1665G4130G40G4151 42and she loudly exclaimed, "How blessed are you among women, and how blessed is the infant in your womb!G2532G400G3173G5456G2532G2036G2127G4771G1722G1135G2532G2127G2590G4675G2836 43Why should this happen to me, to have the mother of my Lord visit me -G2532G4159G5124G3427G2443G3384G3450G2962G2064G4314G3165 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.G1063G2400G5613G5456G4675G783G1096G1519G3450G3775G1025G4640G1722G3450G2836G1722G20 45How blessed is this woman for believing that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled!"G2532G3107G4100G3754G2071G5050G2980G846G3844G2962 46Then Mary said, "My soul praises the greatness of the Lord!G2532G3137G2036G3450G5590G3170G2962 47My spirit exults in God, my Savior,G2532G3450G4151G21G1909G2316G3450G4990 48because he has looked favorably on his humble servant. From now on, all generations will call me blessed,G3754G1914G1909G5014G846G1399G1063G2400G575G3568G3956G1074G3106G3165G3106 49because the Almighty has done great things for me. His name is holy.G3754G1415G4160G3427G3167G2532G40G846G3686 50His mercy lasts from generation to generation for those who fear him.G2532G846G1656G5399G846G1519G1074G1074 51He displayed his mighty power with his arm. He scattered people who were proud in mind and heart.G4160G2904G1722G846G1023G1287G5244G1271G846G2588 52He pulled powerful rulers from their thrones and lifted up humble people.G2507G1413G575G2362G2532G5312G5011 53He filled hungry people with good things and sent rich people away with nothing.G1705G3983G18G2532G4147G1821G2756G1821 54He helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,G482G846G3816G2474G3415G1656 55according to the promise he made to our ancestors? to Abraham and his descendants forever."G2531G2980G4314G2257G3962G11G2532G846G4690G1519G165 56Now Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.G1161G3137G3306G4862G846G5616G5140G3376G2532G5290G1519G846G3624 57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.G1161G1665G4130G5550G4130G846G5088G2532G1080G5207 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.G2532G4040G2532G846G4773G191G3754G2962G3170G1656G846G3326G846G2532G4796G846 59On the eighth day they went to circumcise the child. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father,G2532G1096G1722G3590G2250G2064G4059G3813G2532G2564G846G2197G1909G3686G846G3962 60but his mother said, "Absolutely not! He must be named John."G2532G846G3384G611G2036G3780G235G2564G2491 61Their friends said to her, "None of your relatives has that name."G2532G2036G4314G846G3754G2076G3762G1722G4675G4772G3739G2564G5129G3686 62So they motioned to the baby's father to see what he wanted to name him.G1161G1770G846G3962G5101G302G2309G846G2564 63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And everyone was amazed.G2532G154G4093G1125G3004G846G3686G2076G2491G2532G2296G3956 64Suddenly, Zechariah could open his mouth, his tongue was set free, and he began to speak and to praise God.G1161G846G4750G455G3916G2532G846G1100G2532G2980G2127G2316 65Fear came over all their neighbors, and throughout the hill country of Judea all these things were being discussed.G2532G5401G1096G1909G3956G4039G846G2532G3956G5023G4487G1255G1722G3650G3714G2449 66Everyone who heard about it kept thinking what had happened and asked, "What will this child become?" because it was obvious that the hand of the Lord was with him.164G2532G3956G191G5087G1722G846G2588G3004G5101G686G3813G2071G5124G2071G2532G5495G2962G2258G3326G846 67Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:G2532G846G3962G2197G4130G40G4151G2532G4395G3004 68"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel! He has taken care of his people and has set them free.G2128G2962G2316G2474G3754G1980G2532G3085G846G2992G4160 69He has raised up a mighty Savior for us from the family of his servant David,G2532G1453G2768G4991G2254G1722G3624G846G3816G1138 70just as he promised long ago through the mouth of his holy prophetsG2531G2980G1223G4750G846G40G4396G3588G575G165 71that he would save us from our enemies and from the grip of all who hate us.G4991G1537G2257G2190G2532G1537G5495G3956G3404G2248 72He has shown mercy to our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant,G4160G1656G3326G2257G3962G2532G3415G846G40G1242 73the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham. He granted usG3727G3739G3660G4314G2257G3962G11 74deliverance from our enemies' grip so that we could serve him without fearG1325G2254G4506G1537G5495G2257G2190G3000G846G870 75and be holy and righteous before him all of our days.G1722G3742G2532G1343G1799G846G3956G2250G2257G2222 76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, because you will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his wayG2532G4771G3813G2564G4396G5310G1063G4313G4253G4383G2962G2090G846G3598 77and to give his people knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of their sins.G1325G1108G4991G846G2992G1722G859G846G266 78Because of the tender mercy of our God, his light from on high has visited us,G1223G4698G1656G2257G2316G1722G3739G395G1537G5311G1980G2248 79to shine on those who sit in darkness and in death's shadow, and to guide our feet into the way of peace."G2014G2521G1722G4655G2532G4639G2288G2720G2257G4228G1519G3598G1515 80Now the child continued to grow and to become spiritually strong. He lived in the wilderness until the day he appeared in Israel.G1161G3813G837G2532G2901G4151G2532G2258G1722G2048G2193G2250G846G323G4314G2474
