Chapter 1

1Many people have undertaken to write an account of the events that have been brought to completion among us.

2They based their accounts on what was handed down by those who saw these events from the beginning and then worked in service of the message.

3I too carefully traced everything from the start. So I decided to write it for you in an orderly way, most honorable Theophilus,

4so that you can know that what you have been taught is reliable.

5When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. He belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife, Elizabeth, came from the family line of Aaron, Israel’s first high priest.

6Both of them lived in a way God considered right. They faithfully followed all the Lord’s commands and requirements, and no one could fault them.

7But they had no child because Elizabeth was unable to have children, and they were both very old.

8One day Zechariah was serving as a priest before God while his division was on duty.

9Following priestly custom, he was selected by lot to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense.

10While the incense was being burned, the whole crowd of people was outside praying.

11Then an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the incense altar.

12When Zechariah saw the angel, he was shaken, and fear swept over him.

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

14“He will bring you joy and great delight, and many people will rejoice at his birth.

15“He will be great in the Lord’s sight. He will never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink, and the Holy Spirit will fill him even while he is still in his mother’s womb.

16“He will turn many of Israel’s people back to the Lord their God.

17“He will go ahead of the Lord with the same spirit and power as the prophet Elijah. He will turn fathers’ hearts toward their children and lead disobedient people toward the good judgment of those who do what is right. In this way he will prepare a people who are ready for the Lord.”

18Zechariah asked the angel, “What sign will let me know this is true? I am an old man, and my wife is also very old.”

19The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, and I stand in God’s presence. God sent me to speak to you and announce this good news.

20“Now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe my words. They will come true at the proper time.”

21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he was taking so long inside the sanctuary.

22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23When his period of priestly service ended, he went home.

24Afterward, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and stayed out of public view for five months. She said,

25“The Lord has done this for me. He has looked on me with favor and taken away the disgrace I endured among people.”

26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee.

27Gabriel went to a virgin named Mary, who was pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph. Joseph came from the family line of King David.

28Gabriel came to Mary and said, “Greetings, you who have received great favor! The Lord is with you.”

29Mary was deeply troubled by his words and wondered what this greeting could mean.

30The angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary. God has shown you favor.

31“You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.

32“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will give him the royal throne of his ancestor David.

33“He will rule over Jacob’s descendants forever, and his rule will never end.”

34Mary asked the angel, “How will this happen? I have never had sexual relations with a man.”

35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High God will overshadow you. For that reason, the child to be born will be holy—set apart for God—and will be called God’s Son.

36“Your relative Elizabeth has also become pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she could not have children, but she is now in her sixth month,

37because nothing God says will prove impossible.”

38Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. May what you have said happen to me.” Then the angel left her.

39Soon afterward, Mary got ready and hurried into the hill country, to a town in Judah.

40She entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and the Holy Spirit filled Elizabeth.

42Elizabeth cried out loudly, “God has shown you special favor among women, and the fruit of your womb—the child you carry—is blessed!

43“How have I been given the honor of having the mother of my Lord come to me?

44“As soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the baby inside me leaped for joy.

45“How fortunate you are! You believed that the Lord would fulfill what he told you.”

46Then Mary said, “My soul—my whole being—proclaims the Lord’s greatness,

47“and my spirit has rejoiced in God, who saves me.

48“He has noticed the humble position of his servant. From now on, every generation will say that I have received great favor,

49“because God, the Powerful One, has done great things for me. His name is sacred.

50“Generation after generation, he shows mercy to those who honor him with reverence.

51“He has shown the strength of his arm. He has scattered people whose inner thoughts are proud.

52“He has brought rulers down from their thrones and raised up people of low position.

53“He has filled hungry people with good things and sent rich people away with nothing.

54“He has come to help his servant, the people of Israel, remembering to show mercy,

55“just as he told our ancestors he would. He promised mercy to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

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

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

59On the eighth day, they came to perform the Jewish rite of circumcision on the child. They intended to name him Zechariah after his father,

60but his mother said, “No! He will be called John.”

61They told her, “No one in your extended family has that name.”

62Then they made signs to the child’s father, asking what he wanted the child to be called.

63Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “John is his name.” Everyone was amazed.

64Immediately, Zechariah could open his mouth and use his tongue again. He began speaking and praising God.

65Fear came over everyone living nearby, and people throughout the hill country of Judea kept talking about all these events.

66Everyone who heard about them kept thinking about them and asked, “What, then, will this child become?” Indeed, the Lord’s powerful hand was with him.

67Then the Holy Spirit filled the child’s father, Zechariah, and he spoke this message from God:

68“Praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to care for his people and set them free.

69“From the family of his servant David, he has raised up for us a horn of rescue—a symbol of strong saving power.

70“This is what he promised long ago through his prophets, who were set apart for him.

71“He promised to rescue us from our enemies and from the power of everyone who hates us.

72“In this way he would show mercy to our ancestors and remember his sacred covenant—his binding promise.

73“He would remember the solemn promise he swore to our ancestor Abraham:

74“Once rescued from the power of our enemies, we would be able to serve God without fear.

75“We would live devoted to him and do what is right in his sight all our days.

76Turning to his child, Zechariah continued, “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare the roads for his coming.

77“You will teach his people how he rescues them by forgiving their sins.

78“Our God’s tender mercy makes this possible. Because of that mercy, heaven’s dawn will come to us.

79“It will shine on those sitting in darkness and in death’s shadow, and it will guide our feet onto the path of peace.”

80The child grew and became strong in spirit. He lived in the wilderness regions until the day he appeared publicly to the people of Israel.