Dual Panel1Since many have attempted to compile an account concerning the events that have been fulfilled among us,
2just as those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word from the beginning passed on to us,
3it seemed best to me also—[because I] have followed all [things] carefully from the beginning—to write [them] down in orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4so that you may know the certainty concerning the things about which you were taught.
5It happened that in the days of Herod, king of Judea, [there was] a certain priest, Zechariah by name, of the division of Abijah. And _he had a wife_ from the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elizabeth.
6And they were both righteous in the sight of God, living blamelessly in all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.
7And _they did not have_ a child, because Elizabeth was barren. And they were both advanced _in years_.
8And it happened that [while] he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9according to the custom of the priesthood he was chosen by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.
10And the whole crowd of the people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering.
11And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12And Zechariah was terrified [when he] saw [the angel], and fear fell upon him.
13But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John.
14And _you will experience joy and exultation_, and many will rejoice at his birth.
15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he must never drink wine or beer, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit [while he is] still in his mother’s womb.
16And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.
17And he will go on 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 righteous, to prepare for the Lord a people made ready.
18And Zechariah said to the angel, "By what will I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced _in years_!"
19And 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 announce to you this good news.
20And behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day these [things] take place, _because_ you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.
21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and began to wonder [when] he was delayed in the temple.
22And [when he] came out he was not able 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 unable to speak.
23And it happened that when the days of his service came to an end, he went away to his home.
24Now after these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she kept herself in seclusion [for] five months, saying,
25Thus the Lord has done for me in the days in which he has concerned himself with [me], to take away my disgrace among people.
26Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee _named_ Nazareth,
27to a virgin legally promised in marriage to a man _named_ Joseph of the house of David. And the name of the virgin [was] Mary.
28And he came to her [and] said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord [is] with you.
29But she was greatly perplexed at the statement, and was pondering what sort of greeting this might be.
30And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31And behold, you will conceive in the womb and will give birth to a son, and you will call his name Jesus.
32This one will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
33And he will reign over the house of Jacob _forever_, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
34And Mary said to the angel, "How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?
35And the angel answered [and] said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the one to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
36And behold, your relative Elizabeth—she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37For _nothing will be impossible with God_."
38So Mary said, "Behold, the Lord’s female slave! May it happen to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.
39Now in those days Mary set out [and] traveled with haste into the hill country, to a town of Judah,
40and entered into the house of Zechariah, and greeted Elizabeth.
41And it happened that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby in her womb leaped and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42And she cried out with a loud shout and said, "Blessed [are] you among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb!
43And why [is] this [granted] to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy!
45And blessed [is] she who believed that [there] will be a fulfillment to what was spoken to her from the Lord!
46And Mary said, "My soul exalts the Lord,
47and my spirit has rejoiced greatly in God my Savior,
48because he has looked upon the humble state of his female slave, for behold, from now on all generations will consider me blessed,
49because the Mighty [One] has done great [things] for me, and holy [is] his name.
50And his mercy [is] for generation after generation to those who fear him.
51He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has dispersed the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down rulers from [their] thrones, and has exalted the lowly.
53He has filled those who are hungry with good [things], and those who are rich he has sent away empty-handed.
54He has helped Israel his servant, remembering [his] mercy,
55just as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants _forever_."
56And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her home.
57Now the time came for Elizabeth that she should give birth, and she gave birth to a son.
58And her neighbors and relatives heard that _the Lord had shown his great mercy to her_, and they rejoiced with her.
59And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were wanting to name him _after_ his father Zechariah.
60And his mother answered [and] said, "No, but he will be named John.
61And they said to her, "There is no one of your relatives who is called by this name.
62So they made signs to his father [asking] what he wanted him to be named,
63and he asked for a writing tablet [and] wrote, saying, "John is his name." And they were all astonished.
64And his mouth and his tongue were opened immediately, and he began to speak, praising God.
65And fear came on all those who lived near them, and in all the hill country of Judea all these events were discussed.
66And all those who heard kept [these things] in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be? For indeed the hand of the Lord was with him!
67And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
68Blessed [be] the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited to help and _has redeemed_ his people,
69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
70just as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times—
71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us,
72to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,
73the oath that he swore to Abraham our father, to grant us
74[that] we, being rescued from the hand of [our] enemies, could serve him without fear
75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76And so you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the merciful compassion of our God by which the dawn will visit to help us from on high,
79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace.
80And the child kept growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.