Luke 1:2-25

English Standard Version

^2 (A)just as those who ^(B)from the beginning were ^(C)eyewitnesses and ^(D)ministers of ^(E)the word ^(F)have delivered them to us, ³ it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write ^(G)an orderly account for you, ^(H)most excellent ^(I)Theophilus, ⁴ that you may have ^(J)certainty concerning the things ^(K)you have been taught.

Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

^5 (L)In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah,^{[a] (M)}of ^(N)the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both ^(O)righteous before God, walking ^(P)blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no child, because ^(Q)Elizabeth was barren, and ^(R)both were advanced in years.

⁸ Now ^(S)while he was serving as priest before God when ^(T)his division was on duty, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot ^(U)to enter ^(V)the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people ^(W)were praying ^(X)outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of ^(Y)the altar of incense. ¹² And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and ^(Z)fear fell upon him. ¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for ^(AA)your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^(AB)you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will ^(AC)rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be ^(AD)great before the Lord. And ^(AE)he must not drink wine or strong ^(AF)drink, and ^(AG)he will be ^(AH)filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(AI)even from his mother's womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷ and ^(AJ)he will go before him ^(AK)in the spirit and power of Elijah, ^(AL)to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and ^(AM)the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, ^(AN)to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

¹⁸ And Zechariah said to the angel, ^(AO)“How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ¹⁹ And the angel answered him, “I am ^(AP)Gabriel. ^(AQ)I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, ^(AR)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.” ²¹ And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in ^(AS)the temple. ²² And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in ^(AT)the temple. And ^(AU)he kept making signs to them and remained mute. ²³ And ^(AV)when his time of ^(AW)service was ended, he went to his home.

²⁴ After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, ²⁵ “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, ^(AX)to take away my reproach among people.”