Dedication to Theophilus
(Acts 1:1-3)

1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to draw up a narration concerning the things having been accomplished 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 been acquainted with all things carefully from the first, to write with method to you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty concerning the things which you were instructed.

Gabriel Foretells John's Birth
(Matthew 11:7-19; Luke 7:24-35; Luke 16:14-17)

5There was in the days of Herod king of Judea a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking blameless in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7And to them there was no child, inasmuch as Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their years.

8Now it came to pass, in his fulfilling the priestly service before God in the order of his division, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to burn incense, having entered into the temple of the Lord. 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense.

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

13And the angel said to him, “Fear not, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard, and Your wife Elizabeth will bear to you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14And he will be joy and gladness 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 his mother’s womb. 16And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. 17And he will go forth 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 years.”

19And the angel answering, said to him, “I am Gabriel, the one standing before God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring these glad 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 wondering at his delaying in 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, he departed to his home.

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 disgrace among men.”

Gabriel Foretells Jesus' Birth

26And 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 to her, he said, “Greetings, you favored with grace! The Lord is with you.”a

29And she was troubled at the statement and was pondering what kind this salutation might be. 30And the angel said to her, “Fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in womb, and will bring forth a son, and you shall 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 the angel answering, 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 bornb will be called the Son of God. 36And behold your relative Elizabeth, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her who was called barren. 37For nothing will be impossible with God.”

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

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39And in those days Mary, having risen up, went with haste into the hill country, to a town 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, 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 fulfillment 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 rejoices in God my Savior.

48For He has looked upon the humiliation of His handmaiden.

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

49For the mighty One has done great things to me.

And holy is His name.

50And His mercy is to generations and generations,

to those fearing Him.

51He has shown strength with His arm,

He has scattered the proud in the thought of their heart.

52He has brought down rulers from thrones,

and exalted the humble.

53He has filled those hungering with good things,

and those being rich He has sent away empty.

54He has helped Israel His servant,

remembering mercy,

55as He spoke to our fathers,

to Abraham and his to descendants to the age.”

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

The Birth of John the Baptist

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

59And it came to pass on the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child, and were calling it after the name of his father, Zechariah. 60And his mother answering 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 wish 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 up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zechariah's Song

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

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

because He has visited and has performed redemption on His people,

69and has 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 of old,

71salvation from our enemies,

and from the hand of all those hating us,

72to fulfill mercy toward our fathers,

and to remember His holy covenant,

73the oath that He swore to Abraham our father,

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

to serve Him without fear,

75in holiness and righteousness before Him,

all the days of our life.

76And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High;

for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,

77to give knowledge of salvation to His people,

in forgiveness of their sins,

78through the affections of compassion 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 was strengthened in spirit;c and he was in the deserted places until the day of his appearance to Israel.