[THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE.]

I. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration concerning the things fully believed among us^[1], ²as they, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, delivered them to us; ³it seemed good to me also, having accurately traced all from the very first, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus; ⁴that thou mightest know the certainty concerning those things^[4] wherein thou wast instructed.

⁵There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest, Zachariah by name, of the course of Abijah; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. ⁶And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ⁷And they had no child, because Elisabeth was barren; and they both were now far advanced in years.

⁸And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God, in the order of his course, ⁹it fell to his lot, according to the custom of the priest's office, to burn incense, going into the temple of the Lord. ¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at the hour of incense. ¹¹And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ¹²And Zachariah seeing him was troubled, and fear fell upon him. ¹³But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachariah; for thy prayer was heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. ¹⁴And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵For he shall be great before the Lord; and he shall not drink wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. ¹⁶And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. ¹⁷And he shall 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 a prepared people for the Lord.

¹⁸And Zachariah said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years. ¹⁹And the angel answering said to him: I am Gabriel, that stands in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to thee, and to bring thee these glad tidings. ²⁰And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou didst not believe thy words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

²¹And the people were waiting for Zachariah; and they were wondering at his long tarrying in the temple. ²²And when he came out he was not able to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he was making signs to them, and remained speechless.

²³And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were completed, that he departed to his own house.

²⁴And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying: ²⁵Thus has the Lord dealt with me, in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men.

²⁶And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸And the angel coming in to her, said: Hail, highly favored! The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. ²⁹And she was troubled at the saying; and was considering what manner of salutation this might be. ³⁰And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary; for thou didst find favor with God. ³¹And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. ³²He shall be great, and shall be called Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of David his father; ³³and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

³⁴Then said Mary to the angel: How shall this be, seeing that I know not a man? ³⁵And the angel answering said to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon thee, and the power of the Highest will overshadow thee; therefore also the Holy One that is born shall be called the Son of God. ³⁶And, behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who is called barren. ³⁷For with God nothing shall be^[37] impossible.