| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, | 1Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, |
| 2just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, | 2just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word. |
| 3it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, | 3Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, |
| 4that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. | 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught. |
| 5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. | 5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron. |
| 6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. | 6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord. |
| 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. | 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years. |
| 8So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, | 8One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, |
| 9according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. | 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. |
| 10And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. | 10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside. |
| 11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. | 11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. |
| 12And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. | 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. |
| 13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. | 13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. |
| 14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. | 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, |
| 15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. | 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb. |
| 16And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. | 16Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God. |
| 17He will also 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 a people prepared for the Lord.” | 17And he will go on before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” |
| 18And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” | 18“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.” |
| 19And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. | 19“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. |
| 20But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” | 20And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.” |
| 21And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. | 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple. |
| 22But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. | 22When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained speechless. |
| 23So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. | 23And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home. |
| 24Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, | 24After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared, |
| 25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” | 25“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” |
| 26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, | 26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, |
| 27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. | 27to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. |
| 28And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” | 28The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” |
| 29But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. | 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. |
| 30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. | 30So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. |
| 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS. | 31Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. |
| 32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. | 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give 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 will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!” |
| 34Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” | 34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” |
| 35And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. | 35The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God. |
| 36Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. | 36Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. |
| 37For with God nothing will be impossible.” | 37For no word from God will ever fail.” |
| 38Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. | 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her. |
| 39Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, | 39In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah, |
| 40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. | 40where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. |
| 41And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. | 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. |
| 42Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! | 42In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! |
| 43But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? | 43And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? |
| 44For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. | 44For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. |
| 45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” | 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.” |
| 46And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, | 46Then Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, |
| 47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. | 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! |
| 48For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. | 48For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed. |
| 49For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. | 49For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name. |
| 50And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. | 50His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. |
| 51He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. | 51He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts. |
| 52He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. | 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble. |
| 53He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. | 53He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty. |
| 54He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, | 54He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful, |
| 55As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.” | 55as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.” |
| 56And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. | 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home. |
| 57Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. | 57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. |
| 58When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. | 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her. |
| 59So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. | 59On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah. |
| 60His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.” | 60But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.” |
| 61But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” | 61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.” |
| 62So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called. | 62So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child. |
| 63And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. | 63Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. |
| 64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. | 64Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God. |
| 65Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. | 65All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events. |
| 66And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him. | 66And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him. |
| 67Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: | 67Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: |
| 68“Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, | 68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people. |
| 69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, | 69He 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, Who have been since the world began, | 70as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past, |
| 71That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, | 71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, |
| 72To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, | 72to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, |
| 73The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: | 73the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us |
| 74To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, | 74deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear, |
| 75In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. | 75in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives. |
| 76“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, | 76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, |
| 77To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, | 77to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, |
| 78Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; | 78because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high, |
| 79To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” | 79to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” |
| 80So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel. | 80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel. |
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