1:1  SINCE [as is well known] many have undertaken to put in order {and} draw up a [thorough] narrative of the surely established deeds which have been accomplished {and} fulfilled in {and} among us,

1:2  Exactly as they were handed down to us by those who from the [official] beginning [of Jesus' ministry] were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word [that is, of the doctrine concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God],

1:3  It seemed good {and} desirable to me, [and so I have determined] also after having searched out diligently {and} followed all things closely {and} traced accurately the course from the highest to the minutest detail from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

1:4  [My purpose is] that you may know the full truth {and} understand with certainty {and} security against error the accounts (histories) {and} doctrines of the faith of which you have been informed {and} in which you have been orally instructed.

1:5  In the days when Herod was king of Judea there was a certain priest whose name was Zachariah, of the daily service (the division) of Abia; and his wife was also a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

1:6  And they both were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

1:7  But they had no child, for Elizabeth was barren; and both were far advanced in years.

1:8  Now while on duty, serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

1:9  As was the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter [the sanctuary of] the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

1:10  And all the throng of people were praying outside [in the court] at the hour of incense [burning].

1:11  And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

1:12  And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear took possession of him.

1:13  But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zachariah, because your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you must call his name John [God is favorable].

1:14  And you shall have joy and exultant delight, and many will rejoice over his birth,

1:15  For he will be great {and} distinguished in the sight of the Lord. And he must drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with {and} controlled by the Holy Spirit even in {and} from his mother's womb.

1:16  And he will turn back {and} cause to return many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God,

1:17  And he will [himself] go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn back the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient {and} incredulous {and} unpersuadable to the wisdom of the upright [which is the knowledge and holy love of the will of God]--in order to make ready for the Lord a people [perfectly] prepared [in spirit, adjusted and disposed and placed in the right moral state].

1:18  And Zachariah said to the angel, By what shall I know {and} be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.

1:19  And the angel replied to him, I am Gabriel. I stand in the [very] presence of God, and I have been sent to talk to you and to bring you this good news.

1:20  Now behold, you will be {and} will continue to be silent and not able to speak till the day when these things take place, because you have not believed what I told you; but my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed {and} proper time.

1:21  Now the people kept waiting for Zachariah, and they wondered at his delaying [so long] in the sanctuary.

1:22  But when he did come out, he was unable to speak to them; and they [clearly] perceived that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary; and he kept making signs to them, still he remained dumb.

1:23  And when his time of performing priestly functions was ended, he returned to his [own] house.

1:24  Now after this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and for five months she secluded herself entirely, saying, [I have hid myself]

1:25  Because thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He deigned to look on me to take away my reproach among men.

1:26  Now in the sixth month [after that], the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth,

1:27  To a girl never having been married {and} a virgin engaged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

1:28  And he came to her and said, Hail, O favored one [endued with grace]! The Lord is with you! {Blessed (favored of God) are you before all other women!}

1:29  But {when she saw him,} she was greatly troubled {and} disturbed {and} confused at what he said and kept revolving in her mind what such a greeting might mean.

1:30  And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace (free, spontaneous, absolute favor and loving-kindness) with God.

1:31  And listen! You will become pregnant and will give birth to a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus.

1:32  He will be great (eminent) and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Him the throne of His forefather David,

1:33  And He will reign over the house of Jacob throughout the ages; and of His reign there will be no end.

1:34  And Mary said to the angel, How can this be, since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband?

1:35  Then the angel said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you [like a shining cloud]; and so the holy (pure, sinless) Thing (Offspring) which shall be born {of you} will be called the Son of God.

1:36  And listen! Your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is now the sixth month with her who was called barren.

1:37  For with God nothing is ever impossible {and} no word from God shall be without power {or} impossible of fulfillment.

1:38  Then Mary said, Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; let it be done to me according to what you have said. And the angel left her.

1:39  And at that time Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country to a town of Judah,

1:40  And she went to the house of Zachariah and, entering it, saluted Elizabeth.

1:41  And it occurred that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with {and} controlled by the Holy Spirit.

1:42  And she cried out with a loud cry, and then exclaimed, Blessed (favored of God) above all other women are you! And blessed (favored of God) is the Fruit of your womb!

1:43  And how [have I deserved that this honor should] be granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

1:44  For behold, the instant the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

1:45  And blessed (happy, to be envied) is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were spoken to her from the Lord.

1:46  And Mary said, My soul magnifies {and} extols the Lord,

1:47  And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

1:48  For He has looked upon the low station {and} humiliation of His handmaiden. For behold, from now on all generations [of all ages] will call me blessed {and} declare me happy {and} to be envied!

1:49  For He Who is almighty has done great things for me--and holy is His name [to be venerated in His purity, majesty and glory]!

1:50  And His mercy (His compassion and kindness toward the miserable and afflicted) is on those who fear Him with godly reverence, from generation to generation {and} age to age.

1:51  He has shown strength {and} made might with His arm; He has scattered the proud {and} haughty in {and} by the imagination {and} purpose {and} designs of their hearts.

1:52  He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree.

1:53  He has filled {and} satisfied the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty-handed [without a gift].

1:54  He has laid hold on His servant Israel [to help him, to espouse his cause], in remembrance of His mercy,

1:55  Even as He promised to our forefathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.

1:56  And Mary remained with her [Elizabeth] for about three months and [then] returned to her [own] home.

1:57  Now the time that Elizabeth should be delivered came, and she gave birth to a son.

1:58  And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy on her, and they rejoiced with her.

1:59  And it occurred that on the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were intending to call him Zachariah after his father,

1:60  But his mother answered, Not so! But he shall be called John.

1:61  And they said to her, None of your relatives is called by that name.

1:62  And they inquired with signs to his father [as to] what he wanted to have him called.

1:63  Then Zachariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, His name is John. And they were all astonished.

1:64  And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing {and} praising {and} thanking God.

1:65  And awe {and} reverential fear came on all their neighbors; and all these things were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.

1:66  And all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, Whatever will this little boy be then? For the hand of the Lord was [so evidently] with him [protecting and aiding him].

1:67  Now Zachariah his father was filled with {and} controlled by the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

1:68  Blessed (praised and extolled and thanked) be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and brought deliverance {and} redemption to His people!

1:69  And He has raised up a Horn of salvation [a mighty and valiant Helper, the Author of salvation] for us in the house of David His servant--

1:70  This is as He promised by the mouth of His holy prophets from the most ancient times [in the memory of man]--

1:71  That we should have deliverance {and} be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who detest {and} pursue us with hatred;

1:72  To make true {and} show the mercy {and} compassion {and} kindness [promised] to our forefathers and to remember {and} carry out His holy covenant [to bless, which is all the more sacred because it is made by God Himself],

1:73  That covenant He sealed by oath to our forefather Abraham:

1:74  To grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our foes, might serve Him fearlessly

1:75  In holiness (divine consecration) and righteousness [in accordance with the everlasting principles of right] within His presence all the days of our lives.

1:76  And you, little one, shall be called a prophet of the Most High; for you shall go on before the face of the Lord to make ready His ways,

1:77  To bring {and} give the knowledge of salvation to His people in the forgiveness {and} remission of their sins.

1:78  Because of {and} through the heart of tender mercy {and} loving-kindness of our God, a Light from on high will dawn upon us {and} visit [us]

1:79  To shine upon {and} give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct {and} guide our feet in a straight line into the way of peace.

1:80  And the little boy grew and became strong in spirit; and he was in the deserts (wilderness) until the day of his appearing to Israel [the commencement of his public ministry].