“1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a
declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2
Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were
eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed good to me also,
having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to
write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou
mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been
instructed.”
“5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain
priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife [was] of the
daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elisabeth. 6 And they were both
righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of
the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was
barren, and they both were [now] well stricken in years. 8 And it came
to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the
order of his course, 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 the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time
of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing
on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw
[him], he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said
unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife
Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14
And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his
birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall
drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the
Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of
Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before
him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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. 18 And Zacharias said unto the
angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well
stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am
Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto
thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be
dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be
performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled
in their season. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled
that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could
not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the
temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23 And it
came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were
accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his
wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus
hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on [me], to
take away my reproach among men.”
“26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a
city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose
name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name [was]
Mary. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art]
highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among
women. 29 And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and
cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the
angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with
God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a
son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be
called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the
throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of
Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said
Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And
the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon
thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also
that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of
God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son
in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called
barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said,
Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word.
And the angel departed from her.”
“39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with
haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias,
and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth
heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth
was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice,
and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of
thy womb. 43 And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord
should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation
sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed
[is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things
which were told her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said, My soul doth
magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from
henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is
mighty hath done to me great things; and holy [is] his name. 50 And his
mercy [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He
hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the
imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from [their]
seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with
good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath holpen his
servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy; 55 As he spake to our
fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. 56 And Mary abode with
her about three months, and returned to her own house.”
“57 Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and
she brought forth a son. 58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how
the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. 59
And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the
child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60
And his mother answered and said, Not [so]; but he shall be called John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called
by this name. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have
him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His
name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened
immediately, and his tongue [loosed], and he spake, and praised God. 65
And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings
were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. 66 And all
they that heard [them] laid [them] up in their hearts, saying, What
manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.”
“67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and
prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he hath
visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of
salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by
the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all
that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to
remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware to our father
Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of
the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and
righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 76 And thou, child,
shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the
face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation
unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender
mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79
To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80 And the child grew, and
waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his
shewing unto Israel.” (Luke 1:1-80 AV)
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