1 For as much1895 as many4183 have taken2021 in hand2021 to set392 forth392 in order1299 a declaration1335 of those3588 things4229 which are most surely4135 believed4135 among1722 us,

2 Even2531 as they delivered3860 them to us, which3588 from the beginning746 were eyewitnesses,845 and ministers5257 of the word;3056

3 It seemed1380 good to me also,2504 having had perfect199 understanding3877 of all3956 things from the very first,509 to write1125 to you in order,2517 most2903 excellent2903 Theophilus,2321

4 That you might know1921 the certainty803 of those things,3056 wherein4012 3739 you have been instructed.2727

5 THERE was in the days2250 of Herod,2264 the king935 of Judaea,2449 a certain5100 priest2409 named3686 Zacharias,2197 of the course2183 of Abia:7 and his wife1135 was of the daughters2364 of Aaron,2 and her name3686 was Elisabeth.1665

6 And they were both297 righteous1342 before1799 God,2316 walking4198 in all3956 the commandments1785 and ordinances1345 of the Lord2962 blameless.273

7 And they had1510 no3756 child,5043 because2530 that Elisabeth1665 was barren,4723 and they both297 were now well4260 stricken4260 in years.2250

8 And it came1096 to pass, that while1722 3588 he executed2407 the priest's2407 office2407 before1725 God2316 in the order5010 of his course,2183

9 According2596 to the custom1485 of the priest's2405 office,2405 his lot2975 was to burn2370 incense2370 when he went1525 into1519 the temple3485 of the Lord.2962

10 And the whole3956 multitude4128 of the people2992 were praying4336 without1854 at the time5610 of incense.2368

11 And there appeared3700 to him an angel32 of the Lord2962 standing2476 on1537 the right1188 side1188 of the altar2379 of incense.2368

12 And when Zacharias2197 saw1492 him, he was troubled,5015 and fear5401 fell1968 on him.

13 But the angel32 said2036 to him, Fear5399 not, Zacharias:2197 for your prayer1162 is heard;1522 and your wife1135 Elisabeth1665 shall bear1080 you a son,5207 and you shall call2564 his name3686 John.2491

14 And you shall have2071 joy5479 and gladness;20 and many4183 shall rejoice5463 at1909 his birth.1083

15 For he shall be great3173 in the sight1799 of the Lord,2962 and shall drink4095 neither3756 3361 wine3631 nor2532 strong4608 drink;4608 and he shall be filled4130 with the Holy40 Ghost,4151 even2089 from his mother's3384 womb.2836

16 And many4183 of the children5207 of Israel2474 shall he turn1994 to the Lord2962 their God.2316

17 And he shall go4281 before1799 him in the spirit4151 and power1411 of Elias,2243 to turn1994 the hearts2588 of the fathers3962 to the children,5043 and the disobedient545 to the wisdom5428 of the just;1342 to make2090 ready2090 a people2992 prepared2680 for the Lord.2962

18 And Zacharias2197 said2036 to the angel,32 Whereby2596 5101 shall I know1097 this?5124 for I am an old4246 man, and my wife1135 well4260 stricken4260 in years.2250

19 And the angel32 answering611 said2036 to him, I am1510 Gabriel,1043 that stand3936 in the presence1799 of God;2316 and am sent649 to speak2980 to you, and to show2097 you these5023 glad2097 tidings.2097

20 And, behold,2400 you shall be dumb,4623 and not able1410 to speak,2980 until891 the day2250 that these5023 things shall be performed,1096 because473 3759 you believe4100 not my words,3056 which3748 shall be fulfilled4137 in their season.2540

21 And the people2992 waited4328 for Zacharias,2197 and marveled2296 that he tarried5549 so long in the temple.3485

22 And when he came1831 out, he could1410 not speak2980 to them: and they perceived1921 that he had seen3708 a vision3701 in the temple:3485 for he beckoned1269 to them, and remained1265 speechless.2974

23 And it came1096 to pass, that, as soon as the days2250 of his ministration3009 were accomplished,4130 he departed565 to his own house.3624

24 And after3326 those5025 days2250 his wife1135 Elisabeth1665 conceived,4815 and hid4032 herself1438 five4002 months,3376 saying,3004

25 Thus3779 has the Lord2962 dealt4160 with me in the days2250 wherein3739 he looked1896 on1896 me, to take851 away851 my reproach3681 among1722 men.444

26 And in the sixth1623 month3376 the angel32 Gabriel1043 was sent649 from God2316 to a city4172 of Galilee,1056 named3686 Nazareth,3478

27 To a virgin3933 espoused3423 to a man435 whose3739 name3686 was Joseph,2501 of the house3624 of David;1138 and the virgin's3933 name3686 was Mary.3137

28 And the angel32 came1525 in to her, and said,2036 Hail,5463 you that are highly favored,5487 the Lord2962 is with you: blessed2127 are you among1722 women.1135

29 And when she saw1492 him, she was troubled1298 at1909 his saying,3056 and cast1260 in her mind what4217 manner4217 of salutation783 this3778 should be.

30 And the angel32 said2036 to her, Fear5399 not, Mary:3137 for you have found2147 favor5485 with God.2316

31 And, behold,2400 you shall conceive4815 in your womb,1064 and bring5088 forth5088 a son,5207 and shall call2564 his name3686 JESUS.2424

32 He shall be great,3173 and shall be called2564 the Son5207 of the Highest:5310 and the Lord2962 God2316 shall give1325 to him the throne2362 of his father3962 David:1138

33 And he shall reign936 over1909 the house3624 of Jacob2384 for ever;165 and of his kingdom932 there shall be no3756 end.5056

34 Then1161 said2036 Mary3137 to the angel,32 How4459 shall this5124 be, seeing1893 I know1097 not a man?435

35 And the angel32 answered611 and said2036 to her, The Holy40 Ghost4151 shall come1904 on you, and the power1411 of the Highest5310 shall overshadow1982 you: therefore1352 also2532 that holy40 thing which shall be born1080 of you shall be called2564 the Son5207 of God.2316

36 And, behold,2400 your cousin4773 Elisabeth,1665 she has also2532 conceived4815 a son5207 in her old1094 age: and this3778 is the sixth1623 month3376 with her, who3588 was called2564 barren.4723

37 For with God2316 nothing3756 shall be impossible.101

38 And Mary3137 said,2036 Behold2400 the handmaid1399 of the Lord;2962 be it to me according2596 to your word.4487 And the angel32 departed565 from her.

39 And Mary3137 arose450 in those5025 days,2250 and went4198 into1519 the hill3714 country with haste,4710 into1519 a city4172 of Juda;2448

40 And entered1525 into1519 the house3624 of Zacharias,2197 and saluted782 Elisabeth.1665

41 And it came1096 to pass, that, when5613 Elisabeth1665 heard191 the salutation783 of Mary,3137 the babe1025 leaped4640 in her womb;2836 and Elisabeth1665 was filled4130 with the Holy40 Ghost:4151

42 And she spoke400 out with a loud3173 voice,5456 and said,2036 Blessed2127 are you among1722 women,1135 and blessed2127 is the fruit2590 of your womb.2836

43 And what4159 is this5124 to me, that the mother3384 of my Lord2962 should come2064 to me?

44 For, see,2400 as soon as the voice5456 of your salutation783 sounded1096 in my3450 ears,3775 the babe1025 leaped4640 in my womb2836 for joy.20

45 And blessed3107 is she that believed:4100 for there shall be a performance5050 of those3588 things which were told2980 her from the Lord.2962

46 And Mary3137 said,2036 My soul5590 does magnify3170 the Lord,2962

47 And my spirit4151 has rejoiced21 in God2316 my Savior.4990

48 For he has regarded1914 the low5014 estate of his handmaiden:1399 for, behold,2400 from now on3568 all3956 generations1074 shall call3106 me blessed.3106

49 For he that is mighty1415 has done4160 to me great3167 things; and holy40 is his name.3686

50 And his mercy1656 is on them that fear5399 him from generation1074 to generation.1074

51 He has showed4160 strength2904 with his arm;1023 he has scattered1287 the proud5244 in the imagination1271 of their hearts.2588

52 He has put2507 down2507 the mighty1413 from their seats,2362 and exalted5312 them of low5011 degree.5011

53 He has filled1705 the hungry3983 with good18 things; and the rich4147 he has sent1821 empty2756 away.1821

54 He has helped482 his servant3816 Israel,2474 in remembrance3415 of his mercy;1656

55 As he spoke2980 to our fathers,3962 to Abraham,11 and to his seed4690 for ever.165

56 And Mary3137 stayed3306 with her about5616 three5140 months,3376 and returned5290 to her own house.3624

57 Now1161 Elisabeth's1665 full4130 time5550 came4130 that she should be delivered;5088 and she brought1080 forth1080 a son.5207

58 And her neighbors4040 and her cousins4773 heard191 how3754 the Lord2962 had showed3170 great3170 mercy1656 on her; and they rejoiced4796 with her.

59 And it came1096 to pass, that on1722 the eighth3590 day2250 they came2064 to circumcise4059 the child;3813 and they called2564 him Zacharias,2197 after1909 the name3686 of his father.3962

60 And his mother3384 answered611 and said,2036 Not so; but he shall be called2564 John.2491

61 And they said2036 to her, There is none3762 of your kindred4772 that is called2564 by this5129 name.3686

62 And they made1770 signs1770 to his father,3962 how5101 he would2309 have him called.2564

63 And he asked154 for a writing4093 table,4093 and wrote,1125 saying,3004 His name3686 is John.2491 And they marveled2296 all.3956

64 And his mouth4750 was opened455 immediately,3916 and his tongue1100 loosed, and he spoke,2980 and praised2127 God.2316

65 And fear5401 came1096 on1909 all3956 that dwelled4039 round4039 about them: and all3956 these5023 sayings4487 were noised1255 abroad1255 throughout1722 all3650 the hill3714 country of Judaea.2449

66 And all3956 they that heard191 them laid5087 them up in their hearts,2588 saying,3004 What5101 686 manner686 of child3813 shall this5124 be! And the hand5495 of the Lord2962 was with him.

67 And his father3962 Zacharias2197 was filled4130 with the Holy40 Ghost,4151 and prophesied,4395 saying,3004

68 Blessed2128 be the Lord2962 God2316 of Israel;2474 for he has visited1980 and redeemed4160 3085 his people,2992

69 And has raised1453 up an horn2768 of salvation4991 for us in the house3624 of his servant3816 David;1138

70 As he spoke2980 by the mouth4750 of his holy40 prophets,4396 which3588 have been since575 the world165 began:

71 That we should be saved4991 from our enemies,2190 and from the hand5495 of all3956 that hate3404 us;

72 To perform4160 the mercy1656 promised to our fathers,3962 and to remember3415 his holy40 covenant;1242

73 The oath3727 which3739 he swore3660 to our father3962 Abraham,11

74 That he would grant1325 to us, that we being delivered4506 out of the hand5495 of our enemies2190 might serve3000 him without870 fear,870

75 In holiness3742 and righteousness1343 before1799 him, all3956 the days2250 of our life.2222

76 And you, child,3813 shall be called2564 the prophet4396 of the Highest:5310 for you shall go4313 before4253 the face4383 of the Lord2962 to prepare2090 his ways;3598

77 To give1325 knowledge1108 of salvation4991 to his people2992 by the remission859 of their sins,266

78 Through1223 the tender4698 mercy1656 of our God;2316 whereby1722 3739 the dayspring395 from on high5311 has visited1980 us,

79 To give2014 light2014 to them that sit2521 in darkness4655 and in the shadow4639 of death,2288 to guide2720 our feet4228 into1519 the way3598 of peace.1515

80 And the child3813 grew,837 and waxed2901 strong2901 in spirit,4151 and was in the deserts2048 till2193 the day2250 of his showing323 to Israel.2474