Luke 1:1-17 ▼

1 Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full assurance among us

2 on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message,

3 it has seemed right to me also, after careful investigation of the facts from their commencement, to write for you, most noble Theophilus, a connected account,

4 that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.

5 There was in the time of Herod, the king of Judaea, a priest of the name of Zechariah, belonging to the class of Abijah. He had a wife who was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6 They were both of them upright before God, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.

7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.

8 Now while he was doing priestly duty before God in the prescribed course of his class,

9 it fell to his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood--to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense;

10 and the whole multitude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.

11 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense;

12 and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.

13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his name John.

14 Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth.

15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; no wine or fermented drink shall he ever drink; but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth.

16 Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God;

17 and he will be His forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn fathers' hearts to the children, and cause the rebellious to walk in the wisdom of the upright, to make a people perfectly ready for the lord."