Chapter 1

Inasmuch as many have undertaken to draw up a narrative concerning the things that have been fulfilled among us,

even as they who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have handed them down to us,

I also have determined, after following up all things carefully from the very first, to write for thee, most excellent Theophilus, an orderly account,

that thou mayest understand the certainty of the words in which thou hast been instructed. Annunciation of the Baptist

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

Both were just before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.

But they had no son, for Elizabeth was barren; and they were both advanced in years.

Now it came to pass, while he was officiating in the order of his course as priest before God,

according to the custom of the priest's office, that he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord to burn incense.

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

And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right of the altar of incense.

And Zachary, seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zachary, for thy petition has been heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son and thou shalt call his name John.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

For he shall be great before the Lord; he shall drink no wine or strong drink, and shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.

And he shall bring back to the Lord their God many of the children of Israel,

and he shall himself go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just; to prepare for the Lord a perfect people."

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

And the angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to thee and to bring thee this good news.

And behold, thou shalt be dumb and unable to speak until the day when these things come to pass, because thou hast not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."

And the people were waiting for Zachary, and they wondered at his tarrying so long in the temple.

But when he did come out he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them, but he remained dumb.

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

Now after these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she secluded herself for five months, saying,

"Thus has the Lord dealt with me in the days when he deigned to take away my reproach among men." Annunciation of the Savior

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,

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

And when the angel had come to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women."

When she had heard him she was troubled at his word, and kept pondering what manner of greeting this might be.

And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.

Behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

and he shall be king over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

But Mary said to the angel, "How shall this happen, since I do not know man? "

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; and therefore the Holy One to be born shall be called the Son of God.

And behold, Elizabeth thy kinswoman also has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month;

for nothing shall be impossible with God."

But Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her. The Visitation

Now in those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town of Juda.

And she entered the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth.

And it came to pass, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe in her womb leapt.

And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!

And how have I deserved that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

For behold, the moment that the sound of thy greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leapt for joy.

And blessed is she who has believed, because the things promised her by the Lord shall be accomplished."

And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

Because he has regarded the lowliness of his handmaid; for, behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;

Because he who is might has done great things for me, and holy is his name;

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

He has shown might with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and has exalted the lowly.

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

He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of his mercy---

Even as he spoke to our fathers---to Abraham and to his posterity forever."

And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her own house. Birth of the Baptist

Now Elizabeth's time was fulfilled that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son.

And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her.

And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him, by his father's name, Zachary.

And his mother answered and said, "Not so, but he shall be called John."

And they said to her, "There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name."

And they kept inquiring by signs of his father what he would have him called.

And asking for a writing-tablet he wrote the words, "John is his name." And they all marvelled.

And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God.

And fear came on all their neighbors; and all these things were spoken abroad in all the hill country of Judea.

And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.

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

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

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

As he promised through the mouth of his holy ones, the prophets from of old;

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

To show mercy to our forefathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant,

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

That, delivered from the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear,

In holiness and justice before him all our days.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,

To give his people knowledge of salvation through forgiveness of their sins,

Because of the loving-kindness of our God, wherewith the Orient from on high has visited us,

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

And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel. _________ * 9: It was customary for the priestly class whose week it was to serve in the temple, to cast lots daily for the performance of the various functions. To offer incense upon the altar in the holy place was considered a singular privilege. 25: Among the Jews childlessness was considered a reproach. 34: Mary did not doubt, as did Zachary, that the angel's words would be fulfilled, but prudently inquired how this would be accomplished, since she had firmly resolved to remain a virgin. 50: Psalms 102:17. 52: Psalms 74:8. 53: Psalms 33:11. 55: Genesis 17:9, Psalms 131:11. 68: Psalms 73:12. 69: Psalms 131:17. --- A horn of salvation: i. e., a powerful and mighty Savior. The horn was a symbol of power and strength. 70: Jeremias 23:6, 30:10. 71: Psalms 105:10. 73: Genesis 22:16, Jeremias 31:33. 76: Malachias 3:1. 77: Malachias 4:5. 78: The Orient: Just as the natural sun rises over the earth and dissipates darkness, so too the spiritual sun, Jesus Christ, has come to dispel the darkness of error and sin. 79: Isaias 9:2.