Gospel According To Luke

Gospel According to Luke (MLV)

(Luke 1)

^1:1 Seeing that many have taken in hand to compile a narrative concerning the matters which have been fully assured among us,^1:2 just-as they delivered them to us, who became from the beginning eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,^1:3 it seemed good to me also, having followed accurately in all things from the first, to write to you afterwards, most excellent Theophilus;^1:4 that you might know the certainty concerning the _<1>things in which you were instructed.

^1:5 It happened in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elisabeth.^1:6 And they were both righteous and faultless before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.^1:7 And they had no child, since Elisabeth was barren and they both were now advanced in their _<2>years.

^1:8 Now it happened, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,^1:9 according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.^1:10 And the whole crowd of the people were praying outside in the hour of incense.^1:11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of altar of incense.^1:12 And Zacharias was disturbed when he saw him and fear fell upon him.^1:13 But the angel said to him, Do not fear, Zacharias: because your supplication is heard and your wife Elisabeth will bear you a son and you will call his name John.^1:14 And you will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth.^1:15 For* he will be great in the sight of the Lord and he will drink no wine nor strong-drink; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.^1:16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.^1:17 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 walk in the prudence of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him. ^1:18 And Zacharias said to the angel, By what shall I know this? For* I am an old man and my wife is advanced in her _<2>years.^1:19 And the angel answering said to him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good-news.^1:20 And behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their season.^1:21 And the people were expecting Zacharias and they marveled by his delaying in the temple.^1:22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them and they knew that he had seen a vision in the temple and he was making signs to them and remained dumb.^1:23 And it happened, when the days of his ministry were fulfilled, he departed to his house.

^1:24 And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying,^1:25 Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men.

^1:26 Now in the sixth month Gabriel the angel was sent by God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,^1:27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.^1:28 And he came in to her and said, Hello, you who are favored, the Lord is with you*.^1:29 But she was greatly disturbed at the saying and was reasoning what manner of greeting this might be.^1:30 And the angel said to her, Do not fear, Mary: for* you have found favor with God.^1:31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son and will call his name JESUS.^1:32 He 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 father David:^1:33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.^1:34 And Mary said to the angel, How will this be, seeing I do not know a man?^1:35 And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you*: wherefore also the holy thing which is born in you will be called the Son of God.^1:36 And behold, Elisabeth you relative , she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.^1:37 Because no word from God will be powerless.^1:38 And Mary said, Behold, the bondservant of the Lord; may it happen to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.

^1:39 And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah;^1:40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elisabeth.^1:41 And it happened, when Elisabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit;^1:42 and she called out with a loud cry and said, You are blessed among women and the fruit of your womb is blessed.^1:43 And what is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?^1:44 For* behold, when the voice of your greeting came into mine ears, the baby leaped in my womb for gladness.^1:45 And she who _<3>believed is blessed; because there will be an accomplishment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord.

^1:46 And Mary said, My soul does magnify the Lord,^1:47 and my spirit was glad in God my Savior.^1:48 Because he has looked upon the humiliation of his bondservant: For* behold, from hereafter all generations will call me blessed.^1:49 Because he who is mighty has done great things to me. And holy is his name.^1:50 And his mercy is to generations and generations on those who fear him.^1:51 He has made his strength known with his arm. He has scattered the haughty by the perception of their heart.^1:52 He has taken down sovereigns from their thrones and has exalted the humble.^1:53 He has filled the hungry with good things; and he has sent away the rich empty.^1:54 He has given help to Israel his manservant, that he might remember mercy^1:55 (As he spoke to our fathers) toward Abraham and his seed forever.

^1:56 And Mary abode with her about three months and returned to her house.

^1:57 Now Elisabeth's time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.^1:58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her; and they rejoiced with her.^1:59 And it happened, that on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father.^1:60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he will be called John.

^1:61 And they said to her, There is none of your relatives who is called by this name.^1:62 And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called.^1:63 And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they all marveled.^1:64 And his mouth was opened instantly and his tongue loosed and he spoke blessing God.^1:65 And fear came on all who dwelt around them and all these sayings were talked-about throughout all the hill country of Judaea.^1:66 And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then will this child be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.

^1:67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,^1:68 the Lord, the God of Israel is blessed. Because he has visited and made redemption for his people,^1:69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his manservant David^1:70 (As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old).^1:71 We have salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;^1:72 to do his mercy with our fathers and to remember his holy covenant.^1:73 We have the oath which he spoke to Abraham our father,^1:74 to grant to us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies should serve him without fear,^1:75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.^1:76 Yes and you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for* 'you will go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways.' {Mal. 3:1}^1:77 You are to give knowledge of salvation to his people with the forgiveness of their sins,^1:78 through the heart of mercy of our God, in which the rising of light from on high has visited us,^1:79 to shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.

^1:80 And the child was growing and was becoming strong in spirit and was in the wildernesses until the day of his public showing to Israel.

<1> 1:4- Greek: words

<2> 1:7, 18- Greek: days

<3> 1:45- OR: believed that there will be