English Standard Version

King James Bible

1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,

1Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,

2Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

3it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

3It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

4that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

4That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

6And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord.

6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

7And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

8Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

8And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

9according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

9According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

10And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

11And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

13But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

14And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

15for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

15For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God,

16And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17and he will go 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 just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

17And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

18And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

18And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

19And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

19And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

20And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple.

21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

22And 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 kept making signs to them and remained mute.

22And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

23And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

23And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

24After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying,

24And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

25“Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

25Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

26And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

27To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

28And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.

29And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

30And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

31And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

33And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

35And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37For nothing will be impossible with God.”

37For with God nothing shall be impossible.

38And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

38And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

39In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah,

39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

40And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

41And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

41And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

42and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

42And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

43And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

44For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

45And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

46And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,

46And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

47And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

48For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

49For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

50And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.

50And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

51He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate;

52He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

53he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

53He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

54He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

55as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

55As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

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

56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

57Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.

57Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

58And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

58And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

59And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,

59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

60but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.”

60And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

61And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”

61And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

62And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.

62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

63And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.

63And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

64And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

65And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,

65And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

66and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What then will this child be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

66And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

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

67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people

68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

69And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

70as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,

70As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

71that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;

71That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,

72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us

73The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,

74That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

75In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

76And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

76And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

77to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,

77To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

78because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high

78Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

79To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

80And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.

King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.