Luke 1 — Greek text and reception

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Since many have undertaken to arrange an account of the events fulfilled among us,

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just as those who from the beginning became eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed them down to us,

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it seemed good to me also, having followed everything carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

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so that you may know the certainty of the matters in which you have been instructed.

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

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Both were righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the Lord's commandments and ordinances.

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They had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.

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While he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,

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according to the priesthood's custom, he was chosen by lot to enter the Lord's sanctuary and burn incense.

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The whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.

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An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense.

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

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But the angel said to him, “Do not fear, Zechariah, for your petition has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John.

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You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,

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for he will be great before the Lord. He will certainly drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.

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He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.

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He himself will go before Him in Elijah's spirit and power, to turn fathers' hearts toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare for the Lord a people made ready.”

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Zechariah said to the angel, “By what shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her days.”

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The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I was sent to speak to you and announce this good news to you.

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And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their appointed time.”

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The people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering at his delay in the sanctuary.

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When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained mute.

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When the days of his service were completed, he went home.

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After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she kept herself secluded for five months, saying,

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“Thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked upon me to remove my reproach among people.”

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

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to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of David's house. The virgin's name was Mary.

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He entered and said to her, “Rejoice, you who have been graced! The Lord is with you.”

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She was greatly troubled at the saying and considered what sort of greeting this might be.

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The angel said to her, “Do not fear, Mary, for you have found grace with God.

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And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

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He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

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and He will reign over Jacob's house forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

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Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I do not know a man?”

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The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the holy One being born will also be called Son of God.

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

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for no word from God will be powerless.”

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Mary said, “Behold, the Lord's servant. May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

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In those days Mary arose and went in haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah.

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She entered Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.

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When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

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She cried out with a loud shout and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

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And why has this come to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

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For behold, when the sound of your greeting entered my ears, the infant in my womb leaped with gladness.

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

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Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,

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and my spirit rejoiced in God my Savior,

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because He looked upon the low estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed,

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because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name.

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His mercy is for generations and generations upon those who fear Him.

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He has performed a mighty deed with His arm; He scattered the proud in the thought of their heart.

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He brought rulers down from thrones and raised up the lowly.

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He filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

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He helped Israel His servant, remembering mercy,

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

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Mary stayed with her about three months and returned to her home.

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The time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.

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Her neighbors and kinsmen heard that the Lord had magnified His mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.

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On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child and were calling him Zechariah after his father's name.

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

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They said to her, “No one among your kinsmen is called by this name.”

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They made signs to his father about what he wished him to be called.

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

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Immediately his mouth and tongue were opened, and he spoke, blessing God.

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Fear came upon all who lived around them, and all these matters were discussed throughout the whole hill country of Judea.

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Everyone who heard placed them in their heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord's hand was indeed with him.

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His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

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“Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and accomplished redemption for His people,

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

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as He spoke through the mouth of His holy prophets from long ago:

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salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

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to show mercy to our fathers and remember His holy covenant,

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the oath He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us

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that, rescued from our enemies' hand, we might serve Him without fear,

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in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

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And you also, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare His ways,

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

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through the tender mercy of our God, by which the dawn from on high will visit us,

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to shine upon those who sit in darkness and death's shadow, to direct our feet into a way of peace.”

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The child grew and became strong in spirit. He remained in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.