| New Living Translation | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. | 1Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, |
| 2They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. | 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, |
| 3Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, | 3it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; |
| 4so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught. The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold | 4so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. |
| 5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. | 5In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. |
| 6Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. | 6They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. |
| 7They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. | 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years. |
| 8One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. | 8Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, |
| 9As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. | 9according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. |
| 10While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying. | 10And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. |
| 11While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. | 11And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. |
| 12Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. | 12Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. |
| 13But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. | 13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. |
| 14You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, | 14"You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. |
| 15for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. | 15"For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. |
| 16And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. | 16"And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. |
| 17He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.” | 17"It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." |
| 18Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.” | 18Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." |
| 19Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! | 19The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. |
| 20But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.” | 20"And behold, you shall 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 in their proper time." |
| 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. | 21The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. |
| 22When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary. | 22But 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. |
| 23When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. | 23When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home. |
| 24Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. | 24After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, |
| 25“How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.” The Birth of Jesus Foretold | 25"This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men." |
| 26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, | 26Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, |
| 27to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. | 27to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. |
| 28Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! ” | 28And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." |
| 29Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. | 29But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. |
| 30“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! | 30The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. |
| 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. | 31"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. |
| 32He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. | 32"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; |
| 33And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” | 33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." |
| 34Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” | 34Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" |
| 35The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. | 35The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. |
| 36What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. | 36"And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. |
| 37For the word of God will never fail. ” | 37"For nothing will be impossible with God." |
| 38Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. Mary Visits Elizabeth | 38And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. |
| 39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town | 39Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, |
| 40where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. | 40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. |
| 41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, 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. |
| 42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. | 42And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! |
| 43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? | 43"And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? |
| 44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. | 44"For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. |
| 45You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise | 45"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord." |
| 46Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. | 46And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord, |
| 47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! | 47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. |
| 48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. | 48"For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. |
| 49For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. | 49"For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. |
| 50He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. | 50"AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. |
| 51His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. | 51"He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. |
| 52He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. | 52"He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. |
| 53He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. | 53"HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS; And sent away the rich empty-handed. |
| 54He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. | 54"He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, |
| 55For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.” | 55As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever." |
| 56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home. The Birth of John the Baptist | 56And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home. |
| 57When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son. | 57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. |
| 58And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her. | 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her. |
| 59When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father. | 59And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. |
| 60But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!” | 60But his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John." |
| 61“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.” | 61And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name." |
| 62So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him. | 62And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. |
| 63He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.” | 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished. |
| 64Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God. | 64And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. |
| 65Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills. | 65Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. |
| 66Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way. Zechariah’s Prophecy | 66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child turn out to be?" For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him. |
| 67Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: | 67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: |
| 68“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. | 68"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, |
| 69He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, | 69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant-- |
| 70just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. | 70As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old-- |
| 71Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. | 71Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES, And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US; |
| 72He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant— | 72To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, |
| 73the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. | 73The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, |
| 74We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, | 74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, |
| 75in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live. | 75In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. |
| 76“And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord. | 76"And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS; |
| 77You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins. | 77To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, |
| 78Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, | 78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, |
| 79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.” | 79TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH, To guide our feet into the way of peace." |
| 80John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel. | 80And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel. |
| Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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