| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | New International Version |
| 1[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, |
| 2[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. |
| 3[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 3With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, |
| 4[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. |
| 5[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. |
| 6[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commands and decrees blamelessly. |
| 7[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 7But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old. |
| 8[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 8Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, |
| 9[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. |
| 10[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. |
| 11[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. |
| 12[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. |
| 13[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 13But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. |
| 14[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, |
| 15[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. |
| 16[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 16He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. |
| 17[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." |
| 18[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 18Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years." |
| 19[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 19The angel said to him, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. |
| 20[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time." |
| 21[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. |
| 22[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak. |
| 23[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 23When his time of service was completed, he returned home. |
| 24[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. |
| 25[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 25"The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people." |
| 26[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 26In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, |
| 27[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. |
| 28[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." |
| 29[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. |
| 30[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. |
| 31[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. |
| 32[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, |
| 33[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 33and he will reign over Jacob's descendants forever; his kingdom will never end." |
| 34[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 34"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" |
| 35[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 35The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. |
| 36[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. |
| 37[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 37For no word from God will ever fail." |
| 38[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 38"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May your word to me be fulfilled." Then the angel left her. |
| 39[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, |
| 40[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 40where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. |
| 41[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 41When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. |
| 42[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! |
| 43[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? |
| 44[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. |
| 45[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!" |
| 46[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 46And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord |
| 47[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, |
| 48[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 48for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, |
| 49[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me-- holy is his name. |
| 50[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 50His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. |
| 51[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. |
| 52[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. |
| 53[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 53He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. |
| 54[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful |
| 55[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 55to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors." |
| 56[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. |
| 57[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 57When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. |
| 58[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. |
| 59[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, |
| 60[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 60but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John." |
| 61[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 61They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name." |
| 62[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 62Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. |
| 63[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 63He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John." |
| 64[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. |
| 65[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 65All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. |
| 66[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 66Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him. |
| 67[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: |
| 68[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 68"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. |
| 69[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David |
| 70[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 70(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), |
| 71[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us-- |
| 72[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 72to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, |
| 73[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 73the oath he swore to our father Abraham: |
| 74[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 74to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear |
| 75[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. |
| 76[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, |
| 77[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 77to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, |
| 78[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven |
| 79[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 79to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace." |
| 80[an error occurred while processing this directive] | 80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. |
| [an error occurred while processing this directive] | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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