Luke 1:1-28 ▼

1 SINCE many have undertaken to compose a history of the things that are fully believed among us,

2 even as they were delivered to us by those who were, from the beginning, eye-witnesses and ministers of the word;

3 it seemed good to me also, having obtained exact information of all things from the very first, to write them in order for you, most excel lent Theophilus,

4 that you might know the certainty of the things in which you have been instructed.

5 There was, in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest, named Zachariah, of the class of Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6 They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless.

7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

8 It came to pass, while he was officiating as priest before God, in the order of his class, that,

9 according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense, when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10 And all the multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense.

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12 And Zachariah was troubled at the sight, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachariah; for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

14 And you shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15 For he shall be great before the Lord; and he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.

16 And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient, by the wisdom of the just, in order to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.

18 And Zachariah said to the angel: By what sign shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife is advanced in years.

19 And the angel answered and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I am sent to speak to you, and to announce to you this good news.

20 And behold, you shall be dumb and not able to speak, till the day in which these things shall take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their proper time.

21 And the people were waiting for Zachariah, and they wondered that he stayed so long in the temple.

22 But when he came out, he was not able to speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them, and remained speechless.

23 And it came to pass, when the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house.

24 And after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself retired for five months, saying:

25 Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days in which he has looked with regard upon me, to take away my reproach among men.

26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.

28 And the angel came into her presence, and said: Hail, graciously accepted: the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.