Luke

Prologue

Several people have set out to relate the events that took place among us

as they were told by the first witnesses who later became ministers of the word.

After I, myself, carefully reviewed the whole story from the beginning, it seemed right for me to give you, Theophilus, an orderly account

so that your Excellency may know the truth of all you have been taught.

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah, who was part of the priestly clan of Abijah. Elizabeth, Zechariah’s wife, also belonged to a priestly family.

Both of them were righteous in God’s eyes and lived blamelessly according to all the laws and commands of the Lord,

but they had no children. Elizabeth was unable to have children, and they were both very old now.

Now, while Zechariah and those with him were carrying out their duties,

it fell to him by lot, according to the priestly custom, to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense. 

At the time of offering the incense, all the people were praying outside;

it was then that an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 

Seeing the angel, Zechariah was distressed, and fear overtook him.

But the angel said to him: 

“Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. Be assured that your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.

He will bring joy and gladness to you, and many will rejoice at his birth. 

This son of yours will be great in the eyes of the Lord. Listen: he shall never drink wine or strong drink, but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. 

Through him, many of the people of Israel will turn to the Lord their God.

He, himself, will open the way to the Lord with the spirit and power of the prophet Elijah; he will reconcile fathers and children, and lead the disobedient to wisdom and righteousness to prepare a people ready for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel: 

“How can I believe this? I am an old man, and my wife is also advanced in years.” 

The angel responded: 

“I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news! My words will come true in their time. 

But because you did not believe, you will be silent and unable to speak until this has happened.” 

Meanwhile, the people waited for Zechariah, and they were surprised that he took so long in the Sanctuary.

When he finally appeared, he couldn’t speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the Sanctuary. He stayed silent and gestured to them.

When his service was finished, Zechariah went home;

and, some time later, Elizabeth became pregnant. She kept to herself for five months, staying at home, and thinking: 

“This, for me, is the Lord’s doing! This is his time for mercy and for lifting my public shame.”

In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth. He was sent 

to a virgin who was betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the family of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 

The angel came to her and said: 

“Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” 

Mary was confused by these words, wondering what this greeting could mean.

But the angel said: 

“Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you.

You will conceive and give birth to a son; and you shall call him Jesus. 

He will be great, and he will rightly be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his ancestor; he will rule over the people of Jacob forever; 

and his reign will have no end.”

Then Mary asked the angel: 

“How can this be since I am a virgin?” 

And the angel said to her: 

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore, the holy child to be born of you will be called Son of God.

Even your relative, Elizabeth, is expecting a son in her old age, though she was unable to have children, and she is now in her sixth month. 

With God, nothing is impossible.”

Then Mary said: 

“I am the handmaid of the Lord; may it be done to me as you have said.” 

And the angel left her.

Mary then headed to a town in the hill country of Judah. 

She entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and, 

with a loud cry, said, “You are most blessed among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 

How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me?

The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby inside me suddenly leaped for joy. 

Blessed are you who believed that the Lord’s word would come true!”

And Mary said,

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit exults in God, my savior!

He has looked upon his servant in her lowliness, 

and people, forever, will call me blessed.

The Mighty One has done great things for me,

Holy is his Name!

From age to age, his mercy extends

to those who live in his presence.

He has acted with power and done wonders,

and scattered the proud with their plans.

He has thrown down the mighty from their thrones,

and lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped Israel, his servant,

remembering his mercy,

according to the promise to our fathers,

to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for approximately three months before returning home.

⁷When the time came for Elizabeth, she gave birth to a son. 

Her neighbors and relatives heard that the merciful Lord had done a wonderful thing for her, and they rejoiced with her.

When they came to attend the child’s circumcision on the eighth day, they wanted to name him Zechariah after his father. 

But his mother said: 

“Not so; he shall be called John.” 

They told her: 

“But no one in your family has that name!”

and they gestured to his father to indicate the name he wanted to give him.

Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote: 

“His name is John.” 

They were very surprised.

Immediately, Zechariah could speak again, and his first words were in praise of God.

A deep reverence fell on everyone in the neighborhood and across the hill country of Judea, as people talked about these events. 

All who heard about it reflected and asked:

“What will this child be?” 

Because they recognized that the Lord’s hand was with him. 

Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,

for he has come and redeemed his people. 

In the house of David his servant,

he has raised up for us a victorious Savior;

as he promised through his prophets of old,

salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of our foes.

He has shown mercy to our fathers; 

and remembered his holy Covenant, 

the oath he swore to Abraham, our father,

to deliver us from the enemy,

that we might serve him fearlessly

as a holy and righteous people,

all the days of our lives.

And you, my child,

shall be called Prophet of the Most High,

for you shall go before the Lord

to prepare the way for him,

and to enable his people to know of their salvation

when he comes to forgive their sins.

This is the work of the mercy of our God,

who comes from on high as a rising sun,

shining on those who live in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

and guiding our feet into the way of peace.”

As the child grew up, he became strong in spirit, and he lived in the desert until the day when he appeared openly in Israel.