1 Since many have attempted to compile an account concerning the events that have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning passed on to us,
3 it seemed best to me also—
4 so that you may know the certainty concerning the things about which you were taught.
5 It happened that in the days of Herod, king of Judea,
6 And they were both righteous in the sight of God, living blamelessly in all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.
7 And
8 And it happened that
9 according to the custom of the priesthood he was chosen by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
10 And the whole crowd of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.
11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zechariah was terrified
13 But the angel said to him,
14 And
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord,
16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel
17 And he will go on before him
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “By what will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced
19 And the angel answered
20 And behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day these
21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and began to wonder
22 And
23 And it happened that when the days of his service came to an end, he went away to his home.
24 Now after these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she kept herself in seclusion
25 “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days in which he has concerned himself with
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee
27 to a virgin legally promised in marriage to a man
28 And he came to her
29 But she was greatly perplexed at the statement, and was pondering what sort of greeting this might be.
30 And the angel said to her,
31 And behold, you will conceive in the womb and will give birth to a son,
32 This one will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High,
33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”
35 And the angel answered
36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth—she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37 For
38 So Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s female slave! May it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
39 Now in those days Mary set out
40 and entered into the house of Zechariah, and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby in her womb leaped and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 And she cried out with a loud shout and said,
43 And why
44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy!
45 And blessed
46 And Mary said,
47 and my spirit has rejoiced greatly in God my Savior,
48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his female slave,
49 because the Mighty
50 And his mercy
51 He has done a mighty deed with his arm;
52 He has brought down rulers from
53 He has filled those who are hungry with good
54 He has helped Israel his servant,
55 just as he spoke to our fathers,
56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her home.
57 Now the time came for Elizabeth that she should give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
58 And her neighbors and relatives heard that
59 And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were wanting to name him
60 And his mother answered
61 And they said to her, “There is no one of your relatives who is called by this name.”
62 So they made signs to his father
63 and he asked for a writing tablet
64 And his mouth and his tongue were opened immediately, and he began to speak,
65 And fear came on all those who lived near them, and in all the hill country of Judea all these events were discussed.
66 And all those who heard kept
67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68 “Blessed
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
70 just as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times—
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us,
72 to show mercy to our fathers
73 the oath that he swore to Abraham our father,
75 in holiness and righteousness
76 And so you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people
78 because of the merciful compassion
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
80 And the child kept growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.