King James Version

1 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative concerning the matters that have been fulfilled among us, 2 Just as those who were from the beginning eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 3 It seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely from the beginning, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus. 4 So that you may know the certainty of the words concerning which you were instructed. 5 It happened in the days of Herod, king of Judea, that there was a priest named Zechariah of the division of Abijah, and his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were 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 both were advanced in their days. 8 And it happened while he was serving as a priest in the order of his division before God. 9 According to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen to burn incense as he entered the temple of the Lord. 10 And all the multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense. 11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw, and fear fell upon him. 13 And the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John." 14 And there will be joy for you and exultation, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great before the Lord, and he will drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel will turn back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zechariah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife is advanced in her days." 19 And the angel answered him, "I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news." 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time. 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were amazed that he was delayed in the temple. 22 And having come out, he was not able to speak to them, and they recognized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he was making signs to them, and he remained mute. 23 And it came to pass that when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his own house. 24 After these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying. 25 For thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when he looked to take away my reproach among men. 26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to 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 entering to her, he said: Rejoice, favored one, the Lord is with you. 29 But she was troubled at the word and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. 33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I do not know a man?" 35 And the angel answered her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the one being born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who is called barren. 37 For no word will be impossible with God. 38 And Mary said, "Behold the servant of the Lord; may it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. 39 And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah, 40 And she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. 43 And how is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, as soon as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby leaped for joy in my womb. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there will be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord. 46 And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48 For he has looked upon the humility of his servant; behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed. 49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is to generations and generations to those who fear him. 51 He has made strength in His arm; He has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52 He cast down the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly. 53 He filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty. 54 Israel took hold of his boy, to remember mercy. 55 As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. 56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her home. 57 And the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth to her, and she bore a son. 58 And the neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it happened on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child, and they called him by the name of his father Zacharias. 60 And His mother answered and said, "No, but he will be called John." 61 And they said to her that No one of your relatives is called by this name. 62 They were signaling to his father what he would like to be called. 63 And asking for a tablet, he wrote saying, "His name is John." And all wondered. 64 His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 And fear came upon all who lived around them, and in all the hill country of Judea, all these words were spoken. 66 And all who heard it laid up in their hearts, saying: What then will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying: 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and made Redemption for his people. 69 And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David. 70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets since age long ago, 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, 72 to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 The oath which he swore to Abraham our father, to give to us. 74 Having been rescued fearlessly from the hand of enemies, they serve Him. 75 In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives. 76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways. 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercies of our God, in which He will visit us with a rising sun from on high. 79 to shine on those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his appearing to Israel.