1Since many took in hand to draw up an account concerning the matters which have been borne out among us, 2even as those who from [the] beginning delivered to us, becoming eye-witnesses and ministers of the word, 3it seemed good to me also, following all things accurately from the very first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you might know the certainty of those things in which you have been instructed. 5In the days of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of [the] course of Abijah. And his wife [was] of the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elizabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren. And both were advanced in their days. 8And it happened in his serving in the order of his course, before God, 9according to the custom of the priests, it was his lot to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10And all the multitude of the people were praying outside at the time of incense. 11And an angel [of the] Lord appeared to him as he was standing on [the] right of the altar of incense. 12And seeing [this], Zacharias was troubled, and fear fell on him. 13But the angel said to him, Do not fear, Zacharias. For your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14And you shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall neither drink wine nor strong drink. And he shall be filled with [the] Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16And he shall turn many of the sons of Israel to [the] Lord their God. 17And 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 to [the] wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for [the] Lord. 18And Zacharias said to the angel, By what shall I know this? For I am old, and my wife is advanced in her days. 19And answering, the angel said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands before God. And I am sent to speak to you and to show you these glad tidings. 20And behold, you shall be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed, because you did not believe my words which shall be fulfilled in their time. 21And the people waited for Zacharias and marveled that he stayed so long in the temple. 22And when he came out, he could not speak to them. And they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, and remained speechless. 23And as soon as the days of his service were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and hid herself five months, saying, 25So the Lord has dealt with me in the days in which He looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men. 26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of [the] house of David. And the virgin's name [was] Mary. 28And the angel came in to her and said, Hail, [one] receiving grace, the Lord [is] with you. Blessed [are] you among women. 29And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and considered what kind of greeting this might be. 30And the angel said to her, Do not fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold! You shall conceive in [your] womb and bear a son, and you shall call His name JESUS. 32He shall be great and shall be called the Son of [the] Highest. And the Lord God shall give Him the throne of His father David. 33And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end. 34Then Mary said to the angel, How shall this be, since I do not know a man? 35And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit shall come on you, and [the] power of [the] Highest shall overshadow you. Therefore also that Holy [One] which will be born of you shall be called Son of God. 36And behold, your cousin Elizabeth also conceived a son in her old age. And this [is] the sixth month with her who [was] called barren. 37For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38And Mary said, Behold the servant of [the] Lord. Let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. 39And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah. 40And [she] entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41And it happened as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed [are] you among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb. 43And from where [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For lo, as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45And blessed [is] she who believes, for there shall be a perfecting of those things which were told her from [the] Lord. 46And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 48For He looked on the humiliation of His slave woman. For, behold, from now on all generations shall count me blessed. 49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; and holy [is] His name. 50And His mercy [is] on those who fear Him from generation to generation. 51He has worked power with His arm, He has scattered the proud in [the] imagination of their heart. 52He has put down rulers from [their] seats and exalted the lowly, 53He has filled [the] hungry with good things, and He has sent away [the] rich empty. 54He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of [His] mercy, 55as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever. 56And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her own house. 57And the time was fulfilled to Elizabeth [for] her to bear. And she bore a son. 58And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard how [the] Lord had magnified His mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her. 59And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and were calling it Zacharias, after his father's name. 60And his mother answered and said, No, but he shall be called John. 61And they said to her, There is none of your kindred that is called by this name. 62And they made signs to his father as to how he would have him called. 63And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they all marveled. 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue [loosened]. And he spoke and praised God. 65And fear came on all who lived all around them. And all these things were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66And all those who heard laid [them] up in their hearts, saying, What kind of child shall this be! And the hand of [the] Lord was with him. 67And his father Zacharias was filled with [the] Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68Blessed [is the] Lord, the God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people 69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, 70as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from eternity; 71that we should be saved from our enemies and from [the] hand of all who hate us, 72to perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, 73[the] oath which He swore to our father Abraham, 74that He would grant to us, [that we], being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear 75in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 76And you, child, will be called the prophet of [the] Highest, for you shall go before [the] face of [the] Lord to prepare His ways, 77to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, 78through [the] tender mercy of our God; by which [the] Dayspring from on high has visited us, 79to give light to those who sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into [the] way of peace. 80And the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts until [the] day of his showing to Israel.