1. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative concerning

those matters which have been fulfilled among us,

2 even as they delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were

eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,

3 it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things

accurately from the first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent

Theophilus;

4 that thou mightest know the certainty concerning the things wherein

thou wast instructed.

5. There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named

Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of

Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the

commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both

were [now] well stricken in years.

8 Now it came to pass, while he executed the priest's office before God

in the order of his course,

9 according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter

into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the hour

of incense.

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right

side of altar of incense.

12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw [him], and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy

supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and

thou shalt call his name John.

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his

birth.

15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no

wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even

from his mother's womb.

16 And many of the children of Israel shall be turn unto the Lord their

God.

17 And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to

turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient [to

walk] in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people

prepared [for him].

18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am

an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the

presence of God; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these

good tidings.

20 And behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, until the day

that these things shall come to pass, because thou believedst not my words,

which shall be fulfilled in their season.

21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled while he

tarried in the temple.

22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived

that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he continued making signs unto

them, and remained dumb.

23 And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were fulfilled,

he departed unto his house.

24 And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself

five months, saying,

25 Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon

[me], to take away my reproach among men.

26. Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city

of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of

David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored,

the Lord [is] with thee.

29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what

manner of salutation this might be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor

with God.

31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son,

and shalt call his name JESUS.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and

the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his

kingdom there shall be no end.

34 And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a

man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Spirit shall come

upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore

also the holy thing which is begotten shall be called the Son of God.

36 And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in

her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren.

37 For no word from God shall be void of power.

38 And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me

according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

39. And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with

haste, into a city of Judah;

40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth.

41 And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the

babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit;

42 and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed [art]

thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb.

43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto

me?

44 For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the

babe leaped in my womb for joy.

45 And blessed [is] she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of

the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord.

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid: For behold,

from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his

name.

50 And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear

him.

51 He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in

the imagination of their heart.

52 He hath put down princes from [their] thrones, And hath exalted them

of low degree.

53 The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent

empty away.

54 He hath given help to Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy

55 (As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever.

56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned unto her

house.

57. Now Elisabeth's time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and

she brought forth a son.

58 And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified

his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her.

59 And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise

the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the

father.

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

61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by

this name.

62 And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is

John. And they marvelled all.

64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue [loosed], and he

spake, blessing God.

65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these

sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

66 And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then

shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.

67. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and

prophesied, saying,

68 Blessed [be] the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and

wrought redemption for his people,

69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his

servant David

70 (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of

old),

71 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To show mercy towards, our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he spake unto Abraham our father,

74 To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our

enemies might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou

shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of

their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on

high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of

death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts

till the day of his showing unto Israel.

1. Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar

Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled.

2 this was the first enrolment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

3 And all went out to enrol themselves, every one to his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into

Judaea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of

the house and family of David;

5 To enrol himself with Mary, who was betrothed to him, being great with

child.

6 And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled

that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in

swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for

them in the inn.

8. And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and

keeping watch by night over their flock.

9 And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone

round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you

good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people:

11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, who

is Christ the Lord.

12 And this [is] the sign unto you: Ye shall find a babe wrapped in

swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host

praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men in whom he

is well pleased.

15 And it came to pass, when the angels went away from them into heaven,

the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and

see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto

us.

16 And they both came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the

babe lying in the manger.

17 And when they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which was

spoken to them about this child.

18 And all that heard it wondered at the things which were spoken unto

them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the

things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them.

21. And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was

called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in

the womb.

22 And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses

were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the

Lord.

23 (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the

womb shall be called holy to the Lord),

24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of

the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

25. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and

this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel:

and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

26 And it had been revealed unto him by the Holy Spirit, that he should

not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents

brought in the child Jesus, that they might do concerning him after the

custom of the law,

28 Then he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29 Now lettest thou thy servant depart, Lord, According to thy word, in

peace;

30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples;

32 A light for revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of thy people

Israel,

33 And his father and his mother were marvelling at the things which were

spoken concerning him;

34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this

[child] is set for the falling and the rising of many in Israel; and for a

sign which is spoken against;

35 yea and a sword shall pierce through thine own soul; that thoughts out

of many hearts may be revealed.

36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the

tribe of Asher (she was of a great age, having lived with an husband seven

years from her virginity;

37 And she had been a widow even unto fourscore and four years), who

departed not from the temple, worshipping with fastings and supplications

night and day.

38 And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God, and spake of

him to all them that were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

39 And when they had accomplished all things that were according to the

law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

40 And the child grew, and waxed strong, filled with wisdom: and the

grace of God was upon him.

41. And his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the

passover.

42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up after the custom of the

feast;

43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy

Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his parents knew it not;

44 But supposing him to be in the company, they went a day's journey; and

they sought for him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance:

45 And when they found him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking for

him.

46 And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple,

sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them, and asking them

questions:

47 And all that heard him were amazed at his understanding and his

answers.

48 And when they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said unto

him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought

thee sorrowing.

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I

must be in my Father's house?

50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth; and he was subject

unto them: and his mother kept all [these] sayings in her heart.

52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and

men.

1. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius

Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and

his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and

Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,

2 In the highpriesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto

John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

3 And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the

baptism of repentance unto the remission of sins;

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The

voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord,

Make his paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be

brought low; And the crooked shall become straight, And the rough ways

smooth;

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

7 He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of

him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say

within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that

God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

9 And even now the axe also lieth at the root of the trees: every tree

therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into

the fire.

10 And the multitudes asked him, saying, what then must we do?

11 And he answered and said unto him impart to him that hath none; and he

that hath food, let him do likewise.

12 And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him,

Teacher, what must we do?

13 And he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed

you.

14 And soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he

sad unto then, Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse any one

wrongfully; and be content with your wages.

15. And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their

hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ;

16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water;

but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I

am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptized you in the Holy Spirit and in

fire:

17 whose fan is in his hand, thoroughly to cleanse his threshing-floor,

and to gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn up with

unquenchable fire.

18 With many other exhortations therefore preached he good tidings unto

the people;

19 but Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his

brother's wife, and for all the evil things which Herod had done,

20 added this also to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

21. Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus

also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

22 and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily form, as a dove, upon him,

and a voice came out of heaven, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well

pleased.

23 And Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years of

age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,

24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of

Jannai, the son of Joseph,

25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of

Esli, the son of Naggai,

26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of

Josech, the son of Joda,

27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of

Shealtiel, the son of Neri,

28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of

Elmadam, the son of Er,

29 the son of Jesus, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of

Matthat, the son of Levi,

30 the son of Symeon, the son of Judas, the son of Joseph, the son of

Jonam, the son of Eliakim,

31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of

Nathan, the son of David,

32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon,

the son of Nahshon,

33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of

Perez, the son of Judah,

34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of

Terah, the son of Nahor,

35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,

the son of Shelah

36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of

Noah, the son of Lamech,

37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of

Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,

38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

1. And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from