Luk 1 | NASB1995 | STEP | Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things ^{▼▼ Or on which there is full conviction
,} ^baccomplished among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who ^cfrom the beginning ^{▼▼ Lit became}were ^eeyewitnesses and ^{▼▼ Or ministers
,} ^gservants of ^hthe ^{▼▼ I.e. gospel}word, 3 it seemed fitting for me as well, ^jhaving ^{▼▼ Or followed}investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you ^lin consecutive order, ^mmost excellent ⁿTheophilus; 4 so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been ^{▼▼ Or orally instructed in
,} ^ptaught.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

5 ^qIn the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named ^{▼▼ I.e. Zechariah}Zacharias, of the ^sdivision of ^{▼▼ Gr Abia}Abijah; and he had a wife ^{▼▼ I.e. of priestly descent}from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both ^vrighteous in the sight of God, walking ^wblamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in ^{▼▼ Lit days}years.

8 Now it happened that while ^yhe was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot ^zto enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer ^aaoutside at the hour of the incense offering. 11 And ^aban angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and ^acfear ^{▼▼ Or fell upon}gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, ^ae“Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^afyou will ^{▼▼ Lit call his name}give him the name John. 14 “You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will ^ahdrink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit ^{▼▼ Lit from}while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 “And he will ^ajturn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 “It is he who will ^akgo as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of ^alElijah, ^am to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to ^anmake ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For ^aoI am an old man and my wife is advanced in ^{▼▼ Lit days}years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am ^aqGabriel, who ^{▼▼ Lit stand beside
,} ^asstands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 “And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he ^atkept ^{▼▼ Or beckoning to or nodding to}making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.

24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she ^{▼▼ Lit was hidden}kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to ^awtake away my disgrace among men.”

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 Now in the sixth month the angel ^axGabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called ^ayNazareth, 27 to ^aza virgin ^{▼▼ Or betrothed; i.e. the first stage of marriage in Jewish culture, usually lasting for a year before the wedding night. More legal than engagement}engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, ^bbof the ^{▼▼ Lit house}descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was ^{▼▼ Gr Mariam; i.e. Heb Miriam; so throughout Luke}Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, ^{▼▼ Or woman richly blessed}favored one! The Lord ^{▼▼ Or be} is with you.” 29 But she ^bgwas very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30 The angel said to her, ^bh“Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you ^bishall name Him Jesus. 32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of ^bjthe Most High; and the Lord God will give Him ^bkthe throne of His father David; 33 ^bland He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, ^bmand His kingdom will have no end.” 34 Mary said to the angel, “How ^{▼▼ Lit will}can this be, since I ^{▼▼ Lit know no man}am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, ^bp“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of ^bqthe Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason ^brthe ^{▼▼ Lit the holy thing begotten}holy Child shall be called ^btthe Son of God. 36 “And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and ^{▼▼ Lit this is the sixth month to her who}she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37 “For ^{▼▼ Lit not any word
,} ^bwnothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the ^{▼▼ I.e. female slave}bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now ^{▼▼ Lit in these days}at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to ^bzthe hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was ^cafilled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 “And ^{▼▼ Lit from where this to me}how has it happened to me, that the mother of ^ccmy Lord would come to me? 44 “For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 “And ^cdblessed is she who ^{▼▼ Or believed, because there will be}believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her ^{▼▼ Lit from}by the Lord.”

The Magnificat

46 And Mary said: ^cg“My soul ^{▼▼ Lit makes great
,} ^ciexalts the Lord,
47 And ^cjmy spirit has rejoiced in ^ckGod my Savior.
48 “For ^clHe has had regard for the humble state of His ^{▼▼ I.e. female slave}bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me ^cnblessed.
49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50 ^co“And His mercy is ^{▼▼ Lit unto generations and generations} upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 ^cq“He has done ^{▼▼ Lit might}mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the ^{▼▼ Lit thought, attitude}thoughts of their heart.
52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has ^ctexalted those who were humble.
53 ^cu“He has filled the hungry with good things;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
54 “He has given help to Israel His servant,
^{▼▼ Lit So as to remember}In remembrance of His mercy,
55 ^cwAs He spoke to our fathers,
^cxTo Abraham and his ^{▼▼ Lit seed}descendants forever.”

56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

John Is Born

57 Now the time ^{▼▼ Lit was fulfilled}had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had ^{▼▼ Lit magnified
,} ^dbdisplayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59 And it happened that on ^dcthe eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, ^{▼▼ Lit after the name of}after his father. 60 But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but ^dehe shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” 62 And they ^dfmade signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, ^dg“His name is John.” And they were all astonished. 64 ^dhAnd at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. 65 Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all ^dithe hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For ^djthe hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Zacharias’s Prophecy

67 And his father Zacharias ^dkwas filled with the Holy Spirit, and ^dlprophesied, saying: 68 ^dm“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished ^dnredemption for His people,
69 And has raised up a ^dohorn of salvation for us
In the house of David ^dpHis servant—
70 ^dqAs He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets ^drfrom of old—
71 ^{▼▼ Or Deliverance
,} ^dtSalvation ^du from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72 ^dvTo show mercy toward our fathers,
^dwAnd to remember His holy covenant,
73 ^dxThe oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 ^dyIn holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76 “And you, child, will be called the ^dzprophet of ^eathe Most High;
For you will go on ^eb before the Lord to ^ec prepare His ways;
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
^{▼▼ Or Consisting in}By ^eethe forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which ^efthe Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 ^eg To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the ^ehway of peace.”

80 ^eiAnd the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.