Study Desk

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

Since many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us,

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

just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,

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

it seemed fitting to me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in an orderly sequence, most excellent Theophilus;

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

so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

In 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.

In 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.

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

They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord.

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

And yet they had no child, because Elizabeth was infertile, and they were both advanced in years.

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

Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,

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

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

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

And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.

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

Now an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

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

Zechariah was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.

But 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.

But 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 name him John.

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

"You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth.

for 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.

"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 still in his mother's womb.

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

"And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.

and 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."

"And it is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF FATHERS BACK TO THEIR CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

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

Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her years."

And 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.

The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

And 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."

"And behold, you will 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 at their proper time."

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

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

And 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.

But 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 repeatedly made signs to them, and remained speechless.

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

When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.

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

Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying,

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

"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 people."

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

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

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

to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

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

And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."

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

But she was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was.

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

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

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

"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.

He 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,

"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;

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

and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end."

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

But Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?"

And 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.

The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also the holy Child will be called the Son of God.

And 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.

"And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month.

For nothing will be impossible with God."

"For nothing will be impossible with God."

And 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.

And Mary said, "Behold, the Lord's bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

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

Now at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah,

and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

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

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

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

And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

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

"And how has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord would come to me?

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

"For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy.

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

"And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,

And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

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

"For He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.

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

"For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.

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

"And His mercy is to generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.

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

"He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

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

"He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble.

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

"He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed.

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

"He has given help to His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,

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

Just as He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever."

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

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

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

Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

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

Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

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

And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.

but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John."

And yet his mother responded and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John."

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

And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."

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

And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.

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

And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all amazed.

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

And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God.

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

And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in the entire hill country of Judea.

and 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.

All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child turn out to be?" For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

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

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

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

"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

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

And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David—

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

Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient times—

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

Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;

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

To show mercy to our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,

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

The oath which He swore to our father Abraham,

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

To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Would serve Him without fear,

in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

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

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

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

To give His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins,

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

Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

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

To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

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

Now the child grew and was becoming strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.