Dedication to Theophilus
(Acts 1:1–3)

1Inasmuch as many took in hand to draw up a narration concerning the things having been fully carried out among us, 2just as those from the beginning having been eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 3it seemed good also to me, having followed closely from the first all things carefully, to write in order to you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty concerning the things that you were instructed.

Gabriel Foretells John’s Birth

5There was in the days of Herod king of Judea a certain priest, by name Zechariah, of the division of Abijah, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, going on in all the commandments and righteous requirements of the Lord, blameless. 7And unto them there was no child, inasmuch as Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.

8Now it came to pass in his serving as priest in the order of his division before God, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, that it fell to him by lot to burn incense, having entered into the temple of the Lord. 10And all the multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense.

11And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of the incense. 12And having seen him, Zechariah was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your petition was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear to you a son, and you will call his name John. 14And he will be joy and exultation to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15for he will be great before the Lord. And he shall never drink wine and strong drink, and he will be full of the Holy Spirit even from the womb of his mother. 16And many of the sons of Israel he will turn to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on 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 righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18And Zechariah said to the angel, “By what will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days.”

19“And answering, the angel said to him, “I am Gabriel, the one standing before God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring these good tidings to you. 20And behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until that day these things shall take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their season.”

21And the people were expecting Zechariah, and they were marveling at his delaying in the temple. 22And having come out, he was not able to speak to them, and they recognized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them and remained mute. 23And it came to pass, when the days of his service were fulfilled, that he went away to his house.

24And after these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25“Thus the Lord has done to me, in the days in which He looked upon me to take away my reproach among men.”

Gabriel Foretells Jesus’ Birth

26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee whose name was Nazareth, 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the name of the virgin was Mary. 28And having come in to her, he said, “Greetings,† O favored one! The Lord is with you.†”

29And† she was troubled at the word and was reasoning what kind this greeting might be. 30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in womb and will give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus. 32He will be great, and He will be called Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, 33and He will reign over the house of Jacob to the ages. And of His kingdom there will be no end!”

34And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I do not know a man?”

35And answering, the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the Holy One being born† will be called Son of God. 36And behold, Elizabeth your relative, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her who was called barren. 37For not any word will be impossible with God.†”

38And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s maidservant. May it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel went away from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39Now Mary, having risen up in these days, went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40and she entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

41And it came to pass, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the baby in her womb leaped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42And she cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit your of womb! 43And from where is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For behold, as the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby in my womb leaped in exultation. 45And blessed is the one having believed that there will be a completion to the things spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary’s Song
(1 Samuel 2:1–11)

46And Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

47and my spirit exulted in God my Savior!

48For He looked upon the humiliation of His maidservant.

For behold, from now on all the generations will count me blessed.

49For the Mighty One did great things to me.

And holy is His name.

50And His mercy is to generations and generations,

to those fearing Him.

51He showed strength with His arm;

He scattered the proud

in the thought of their heart.

52He brought down rulers from thrones

and exalted the humble.

53Those hungering He filled with good things,

and those being rich He sent away empty.

54He took hold of Israel His servant,

remembering mercy,

55as He spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his seed to the age.†”

56And Mary remained with her about three months, and she returned to her house.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57Now to Elizabeth the time was fulfilled for her to give birth, and she bore a son. 58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord magnified His mercy with her, and they were rejoicing with her.

59And it came to pass on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child, and they were calling him after the name of his father Zechariah. 60And answering, his mother said, “No, but he will be called John.”

61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62And they were making signs to his father, what he might want him to be called.

63And having asked for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying, “John is† his name.” And they all marveled. 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue; and he was speaking, blessing God.

65And fear came upon all those dwelling around them. And in all the hill country of Judea, all these words were being talked about. 66And all those having heard laid them in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” For† also the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah’s Song

67And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying:

68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

because He visited and performed redemption for His people,

69and He 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 the age,

71salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of all those hating us,

72to show mercy toward our fathers

and to remember His holy covenant,

73the oath that He swore to Abraham our father,

to give us, 74having been saved from the hand of enemies,

to serve Him without fear

75in holiness and righteousness before Him

all our days.†

76And you, child, will be called

prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord†

to prepare His ways,

77to give knowledge of salvation to His people

in forgiveness of their sins,

78through the affections of mercy of our God,

in which the Sunrise† will visit† us from on high,

79to shine upon those sitting in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to direct our feet

into the way of peace.”

80And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit;† and he was in the wilderness† until the day of his appearance to Israel.

Footnotes:

17 Malachi 4:5–6
28 Or Rejoice
28 BYZ and TR include Blessed are you among women!
29 BYZ and TR include when she saw this.
35 Scrivener TR includes of you.
37 Or For no word from God will ever fail.
55 F35 until eternity
63 F35 shall be
66 BYZ and TR And
75 BYZ and TR all the days of our lives.
76 BYZ and TR before the presence of the Lord
78 Or the Dawn
78 BYZ and TR has visited
80 Or in the Spirit
80 Or desert