Luke 1
1
Luke 1
Dedication to Theophilus
1Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2#Jn 15.27; Heb 2.3; 1 Pet 5.1; 2 Pet 1.16; 1 Jn 1.1just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3#Acts 1.1; 11.4; 18.23I, too, decided, as one having a grasp of everything from the start,#1.3 Or for a long time to write a well-ordered account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may have a firm grasp of the words in which you have been instructed.
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 #
1 Chr 24.10; Mt 2.1 In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6#Gen 7.1; 1 Kings 9.4; 2 Kings 20.3Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. 7But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
8 #
1 Chr 24.19; 2 Chr 8.14 Once when he was serving as priest before God during his section’s turn of duty, 9#Ex 30.7, 8; 1 Chr 23.13; 2 Chr 29.11he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to offer incense. 10#Lev 16.17Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified, and fear overwhelmed him. 13#vv 30, 60, 63But 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. 14#v 58You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15#Num 6.3; Judg 13.4; Gal 1.15for 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. 16#Mal 4.5, 6He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17#Mt 11.14; 17.13With 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.” 18#Gen 17.17Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know that this will happen? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years.” 19#Mt 18.10The 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. 20#Ezek 3.26; 24.27But 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.”
21Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary. 22When he did come out, he was unable to 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. 23When his time of service was ended, he returned to his home.
24After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said, 25#Gen 30.23; Isa 4.1“This is what the Lord has done for me in this time, when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 #
Mt 2.23
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27#v 19; Mt 1.16to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28#Dan 9.23; 10.19And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”#1.28 Other ancient authorities add Blessed are you among women 29But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31#Isa 7.14And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32#Isa 9.6, 7; Mk 5.7He 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. 33#Dan 2.44; 7.14, 27; Mt 28.18; Heb 1.8He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”#1.34 Gk I do not know a man 35#v 32; Mt 4.3; Mk 1.24The 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#1.35 Other ancient authorities add of you will be holy; he will be called Son of God. 36And 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. 37#Gen 18.14; Jer 32.17; Mt 19.26; Mk 10.27; Lk 18.27; Rom 4.21For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38Then 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.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42#Judg 5.24; Lk 11.27, 28and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43#Lk 2.11And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45And blessed is she who believed that there would be#1.45 Or believed, for there will be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise
46 #
1 Sam 2.1–10; Ps 34.2, 3 And Mary#1.46 Other ancient authorities read Elizabeth said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 #
Ps 35.9; 1 Tim 1.1; 2.3; Titus 2.10; Jude 25 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 #
Ps 138.6; Lk 11.27 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,
49 #
Ps 71.19; 111.9 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;
50 #
Ps 103.17
indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
51 #
Ps 33.10; 98.1; Isa 40.10; 1 Pet 5.5 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 #
Job 5.11
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;
53 #
Ps 34.10
he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.
54 #
Ps 98.3
He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
55 #
Gen 17.19; Ps 132.11; Gal 3.16 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
56And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58#Gen 19.19Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 #
Gen 17.12; Lev 12.3 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60But his mother said, “No; he is to be called John.” 61They said to her, “None of your relatives has this name.” 62Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And all of them were amazed. 64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66#Gen 39.2; Lk 2.19, 51; Acts 11.21All who heard them pondered them and said, “What then will this child become?” For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 #
v 41
; Joel 2.28Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 #
Ps 72.18; 111.9; Lk 7.16 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has looked favorably on#1.68 Or has visited his people and redeemed them.
69 #
Ps 18.2; 89.17; 132.17; Ezek 29.21 He has raised up a mighty savior#1.69 Gk a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his child David,
70 #
Jer 23.5; Dan 9.24; Acts 3.21; Rom 1.2 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 #
Ps 105.8, 9; 106.45; Ezek 16.60; Mic 7.20 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors
and has remembered his holy covenant,
73the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham,
to grant us 74#Rom 6.18; Heb 9.14that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies,
might serve him without fear, 75#Eph 4.24; Titus 2.12in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.
76 #
Mal 3.1; 4.5; Mt 11.9, 10 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 #
Mk 1.4
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
78Because of the tender mercy of our God,
the dawn from on high will break#1.78 Other ancient authorities read has broken upon#1.78 Gk will visit us,
79 #
Mt 9.2; Mk 4.16; Acts 26.18 to shine upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 #
Lk 2.40, 52 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
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New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, copyright © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
