Luk 1 | NASB2020 | STEP | Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,

1 Since 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 to me as well, ^jhaving ^{▼▼Or followed}investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you ^lin an orderly sequence, ^mmost excellent ⁿTheophilus; 4 so that you may know the exact truth about the ^{▼▼Lit words}things you have been ^{▼▼Or orally instructed in
,} ^qtaught.

John the Baptist’s Birth Foretold

5 ^rIn the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, 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 And yet they had no child, because Elizabeth was infertile, 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 Now ^aban angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and ^acfear ^{▼▼Lit fell upon}gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, “ ^aeDo not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^afyou shall ^{▼▼Lit call his name}name him John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over 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 still from his}while still in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will ^ajturn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 And it is he who will ^akgo as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of ^alElijah, ^amto turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to ^anmake ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For ^aoI am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her ^{▼▼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 was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will 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 at their proper time.”

21 And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, 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 repeatedly ^{▼▼Possibly gesturing or nodding to them
,} ^aumade signs to them, and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.

24 Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself ^{▼▼Or hidden}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 people.”

Jesus’ Birth Foretold

26 Now in the sixth month the angel ^axGabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named ^ayNazareth, 27 to ^aza virgin ^{▼▼Unlike engagement, a betrothed couple was considered married, but did not yet live together}betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, ^bbof the ^{▼▼Lit house}descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was ^{▼▼Gr Mariam, Heb Miriam; so throughout Luke}Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord ^{▼▼Or be}is with you.” 29 But she ^bfwas very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30 And the angel said to her, “ ^bgDo not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you ^bhshall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of ^bithe Most High; and the Lord God will give Him ^bjthe throne of His father David; 33 ^bkand He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, ^bland His kingdom will have no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I ^{▼▼Lit do not know a man}am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “ ^bnThe Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of ^bothe Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also ^bpthe ^{▼▼Lit the holy one fathered}holy Child will be called ^brthe Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and ^{▼▼Lit this is the sixth month for her who}she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. 37 For ^btnothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; 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 set out and went in a hurry to ^bvthe hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was ^bwfilled 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 ^bymy 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 ^bzblessed 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.”

Mary’s Song: The Magnificat

46 And Mary said:

“ ^ccMy soul ^{▼▼Lit makes great
,} ^ceexalts the Lord,
47 And ^cfmy spirit has rejoiced in ^cgGod my Savior.
48 “For ^chHe has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant;
For behold, from now on all generations will ^{▼▼Or consider}call me ^cjblessed.
49 “For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50 “ ^ckAnd His mercy is to generation ^{▼▼Lit and}after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 “ ^cmHe has done ^{▼▼Lit might}mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the ^{▼▼Lit thought, attitude}thoughts of their hearts.
52 “He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has ^cpexalted those who were humble.
53 “ ^cqHe has filled the hungry with good things,
And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54 “He has given help to His servant Israel,
^{▼▼Lit So as to remember}In remembrance of His mercy,
55 ^csJust as He spoke to our fathers,
^ctTo Abraham and his ^{▼▼Lit seed}descendants forever.”
56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

John the Baptist 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 His mercy with her
,} ^cxdisplayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59 And it happened that on ^cythe eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, ^{▼▼Lit after the name of}after his father. 60 And yet his mother responded and said, “No indeed; but ^dahe shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 And they ^{▼▼I.e., gestured or nodded
,} ^dcmade signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote ^{▼▼Lit saying}as follows, “ ^deHis name is John.” And they were all amazed. 64 ^dfAnd at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God. 65 And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in ^dgthe entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For indeed ^dhthe hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 And his father Zechariah ^diwas filled with the Holy Spirit and ^djprophesied, saying:

68 “ ^dkBlessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished ^dlredemption for His people,
69 And has raised up a ^dmhorn of salvation for us
In the house of ^dnHis servant David--
70 ^doJust as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets ^dpfrom ancient times--
71 ^{▼▼Or Deliverance
,} ^drSalvation ^dsfrom our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72 ^dtTo show mercy to our fathers,
^duAnd to remember His holy covenant,
73 ^dv The oath which He swore to our father Abraham,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Would serve Him without fear,
75 ^dwIn holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76 “And you, child, also will be called the ^dxprophet of ^dythe Most High;
For you will go on ^dzbefore the Lord to ^eaprepare His ways;
77 To give His people the knowledge of salvation
^{▼▼Or Consisting in}By ^ecthe forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which ^edthe Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 ^eeTo shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the ^efway of peace.”
80 ^egNow the child grew and was becoming strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.