F ACCORDING TO SAINT LUKE. CHAPTER I. ORASMUCH as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration concerning those things which are 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 accurately traced down 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 wast instructed. the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense, going into the temple of the Lord. IO And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. II And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zechariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zechariah : 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 shali 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 Spirit, 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 himself 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. 18 And Zechariah said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is advanced 1 in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and was sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be silent, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, 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 : and 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 ¶ But 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. 1 Literally, in her days. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: 29 But 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 But Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered! and said unto her, The Holy Spirit 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 kinswoman Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who is called barren. 37 For with God no word 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 Judah; 40 And entered into the house of Zechariah, 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 Spirit: 42 And she spake out with a great cry, 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 count me happy. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 1 Or, the city of Judah (Juttah: see Josh. xxi. 11, 16). 2 See James v. 11, where the word is the same. There is no allusion to a title to be given to her, as is generally believed, owing to the rendering of the Authorized Version. 50 And his mercy is 3 on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath wrought 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 To Abraham, and to his seed for ever, even as he spake unto our fathers. 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 kinsmen heard how the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her. 59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they assembled to circumcise the child; and they were calling him Zechariah, 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. 3 Literally, on generations and generations to them that fear him. 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 Judæa. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What manner of child shall this be! For the hand of the Lord was with him, 67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, est: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people in 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 But the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. 68 Blessed be the Lord God A of Israel; for he hath visited his people, and hath wrought redemption for them, 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 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, CHAPTER II. ND it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. 2 This enrolling was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be enrolled, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David : 5 To enroll himself with Mary his espoused, being great with child. 6 And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 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 our days, 76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the High-in swaddling clothes, and laid 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him IO And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people. II For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be the sign unto you; Ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest [heavens], and on earth peace among men of good pleasure. 15 And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this saying which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found both Mary and 1 Literally, feared with great fear. 2 Not expressed in the original. 3 So all the earliest MSS. Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known the saying which was told them concerning this child. 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. 21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; 23 As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord; 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Symeon; and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 4 See chap. i. 6. |