1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
The Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say. 12:12
Trivia: What did Jesus say would happen to an unprepared servants when the Son of man comes?
1:1-41 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
Though many eyewitnesses
have written about the things we believe,
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
it seemed like a good idea for me,
having a perfect understanding about everything from the very first, to write to you, Theophilus,
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
so that you can know for sure
that the things you've been taught are true.
1:5-175 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
In the days of King Herod of Judea,
there lived a priest name Zechariah and his wife Elisabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
They were both righteous people,
who obeyed all of God's commandments perfectly. [1]
7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
But they had no children, because Elisabeth was barren. [2]
And now they were very old.
8 And it came to pass, that 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 burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
One day, when Zechariah was burning incense in God's temple,
11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zechariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
an angel of God appeared to him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zechariah: for thy prayer 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.
The angel said to him,
Don't be afraid.
Your prayer has been heard and Elisabeth will have a son.
Call him John. [3]
15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.
16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
17 And 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 people prepared for the Lord.
He'll be great in God's sight,
won't drink alcohol, [4]
and will be filled with the Holy Ghost before he's even born. [5]
1:18-2518 And Zechariah said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
Zechariah said to the angel,
How can I be sure of this.
My wife and I are both very old.
19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.
20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.
21 And the people waited for Zechariah, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
The angel said,
I'm Gabriel.
You won't be able to speak until your son is born,
because you didn't believe me. [6]
22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
When Zechariah came out of the temple,
he couldn't speak.
24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
After Elisabeth conceived,
she hid for five months, saying,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
God has looked at me,
so people will no longer mock me.
1:26-3826 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
When Elisabeth was six months pregnant,
God sent Gabriel to a city in Galilee named Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
to a virgin named Mary,
who was engaged to a man named Joseph.
28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
The angel came in unto her, and said,
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women. [7]
29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
Mary was troubled when she saw the angel.
30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
But the angel said,
Don't be afraid. You've found favor with God.
31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
You will conceive a son in your womb,
and name him Jesus. [8]
32He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: 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.
He'll be called the Son of the Highest.[9]
34Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
Mary said to the angel,
How will this happen, since I am a virgin. [10]
35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
The angel said,
The Holy Ghost will come upon you, and God's power will overshadow you, so the holy thing that you give birth to will be called the Son of God. [11]
36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
Your cousin Elisabeth has conceived a son in her old age, and is now in her sixth month of pregnancy.
And people called her barren.
37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.
But nothing is impossible to God. [12]
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Mary said,
I'm God's handmaid. Let it happen like you said.
And the angel went away.
1:39-4539 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;
40 And entered into the house of Zechariah, and saluted Elisabeth.
Mary went to visit her cousin Elisabeth.
41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
When Elisabeth heard Mary's voice,
the baby jumped in her womb. [13]
And she was filled with the Holy Ghost. [14]
42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
Elisabeth said to Mary,
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. [15]
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
How is it that the mother of my God comes to visit me?
44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
As soon as I heard your voice,
the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
1:46-5546 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: 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 on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
Mary said,
My soul doth magnify the Lord.... [16]
1:56-6656 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
Mary stayed with Elisabeth for about three months, and then returned home.
57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
When the time came, Elisabeth delivered a son.
59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zechariah, after the name of his father.
When he was eight days old, he was circumcised,
and they called him Zechariah, after his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
But Elisabeth said,
No, his name is John.
61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
They said to her,
No one in your family is called by that name.
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
So they asked his father what he'd like to name him.
63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.
Zechariah wrote down the name John.
64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised 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 Judea.
66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
And immediately he could speak again.
1:67-8067 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
And he was filled with the Holy Ghost [17], and prophesied, saying,
68Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;
73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
74 That he would 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.
Blessed be .... [18]
80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.
And the child grew stong and lived in the desert.
Oh God, another barren woman! It's always the woman's fault in the Bible.
Zechariah and Elisabeth were both getting old, too old to have kids. But Zechariah prayed, so an angel appeared to tell him that God would take care of things for him. God would somehow get Liz pregnant and she'd have a son named John, who would be filled with the Holy Ghost from the moment God, the angel, the Holy Ghost, or Zechariah (or maybe all of them working together) got his mom pregnant.
Whoopie! Another miraculous birth! Did Zechariah have sex with Elisabeth or did the angel take care of things for him?
John the Baptist was "filled with the Holy Ghost" even as a fetus!
Zechariah asks the angel Gabriel how his wife Elisabeth could become pregnant, since she is "stricken with years." Gabriel makes him "dumb" just for asking.
The angel Gabriel stopped by Nazareth to visit the Most Blessed Virgin Mary and say the rosary with her. OK, not really. He stopped by to tell her that the Holy Ghost would soon be getting her pregnant the way he did her cousin Elisabeth. But during his visit he did manage to come up with the first half of the "Hail Mary."
Just a few verses earlier (1:17-20), Zechariah is struck dumb for doubting his wife's angel-assisted conception. Why wasn't Mary punished for her disbelief?
John the Baptist, while still a fetus, leaped for joy when he heard the voice of Mary.
When Elisabeth saw Mary, she completed the first half of the "Hail Mary" that the angel Gabriel started in verse 28.
Verses 46-55 are what Catholics call "The Magnificat".
As soon as God let Zechariah speak again, he rattles off a long boring prayer.
I'd skip it if I were you.
