Verse
BSB
Berean Standard Bible
KJV
King James Version
Many have undertaken
to compose
an
account
of the
things that
have
been
fulfilled
among us,
Forasmuch
as
many have taken
in
hand
to set
forth
in
order
a
declaration
of those
things which
are
most
surely
believed
among us,
just
as they were
handed
down
to
us by
the initial
eyewitnesses and servants
of the word .
Even
as they delivered
them
unto
us ,
which
from
the beginning
were
eyewitnesses ,
and ministers
of the word ;
Therefore,
having
carefully
investigated
everything
from
the
beginning,
it seemed good also
to me to write an
orderly
account
for
you
, most excellent Theophilus,
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,
so
that you
may
know the certainty of the
things you
have
been taught
.
That thou
mightest
know the certainty of those
things ,
wherein
thou
hast
been instructed
.
In the time
of Herod king of Judea
there
was
a priest named Zechariah
, who
belonged
to
the priestly
division
of Abijah,
and whose
wife Elizabeth
was a
daughter
of Aaron.
THERE
was
in the days
of Herod ,
the
king of Judaea,
a certain
priest named Zacharias
, of
the course
of Abia:
and his
wife was of the
daughters
of
Aaron ,
and
her
name
was
Elisabeth
.
Both
of
them
were righteous in
the
sight
of
God, walking blamelessly
in all the commandments and decrees
of the Lord.
And
they
were both
righteous before
God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances
of the Lord blameless
.
But
they had no children
, because Elizabeth
was barren, and they were
both well along
in years.
And
they had no child
, because that
Elisabeth
was barren, and they both were
now
well stricken
in years.
One
day
while
Zechariah’s
division
was
on
duty
and he was
serving
as
priest
before God,
And it
came
to
pass,
that
while
he executed
the
priest's
office
before God in
the
order
of
his
course
,
he
was
chosen
by
lot,
according to the custom of the priesthood
, to enter
the temple of the Lord and
burn
incense
.
According to the custom of the priest's
office
, his
lot
was
to burn
incense
when
he
went
into
the temple of the Lord.
And at
the hour
of the incense
offering,
the
whole
congregation
was
praying outside
.
And the whole
multitude
of the people
were
praying without
at
the
time
of
incense
.
Just
then
an angel of the Lord appeared
to
Zechariah,
standing at
the right side of the altar of incense.
And
there
appeared
unto
him
an angel of the Lord standing on
the right side of the altar of incense.
When Zechariah
saw him, he was startled
and gripped
with
fear.
And
when Zacharias
saw him, he was troubled,
and fear fell
upon
him
.
But the angel said to
him, “Do
not be
afraid
, Zechariah,
because
your
prayer has
been
heard .
Your
wife Elizabeth
will
bear you
a son, and you
are
to
give
him
the
name John.
But the angel said unto
him, Fear
not, Zacharias:
for
thy
prayer is
heard ;
and
thy
wife Elisabeth
shall
bear thee
a son, and thou
shalt
call
his
name John.
He
will
be
a
joy and delight
to
you,
and many will
rejoice at his birth ,
And
thou
shalt
have
joy and gladness;
and many shall
rejoice at his birth .
for he will
be great in the sight of the Lord .
He
shall never
take
wine or
strong drink ,
and he will
be filled with the Holy Spirit
even from his mother’s
womb.
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.
Many of the sons
of Israel he will
turn back
to the Lord their God.
And
many of the children
of Israel shall
he turn to the Lord their God.
And he will
go on
before the
Lord
in the spirit and power of Elijah
, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their
children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. ”
And he shall
go before him
in the spirit and power of Elias
, 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.
“How
can
I be
sure
of
this? ”
Zechariah
asked
the
angel.
“
I am an old man, and my wife is
well along
in years. ”
And
Zacharias
said
unto
the
angel,
Whereby
shall
I know
this? for
I am an old man, and my wife well stricken
in years.
“
I am Gabriel, ”
replied
the
angel.
“I
stand in the presence of God ,
and I
have
been
sent to speak to
you
and to bring
you
this
good
news
.
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
.
And now
you
will
be silent
and unable
to speak until the day this
comes
to
pass
, because you
did
not believe
my words, which will
be fulfilled at
their proper
time
. ”
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
.
Meanwhile,
the people were
waiting
for Zechariah
and wondering
why
he took
so long in the temple.
And
the people waited
for Zacharias,
and marvelled
that
he tarried
so long in the temple.
When he came out and
was
unable
to
speak to
them ,
they realized
he had seen a vision in the temple .
He kept
making
signs
to
them but
remained speechless.
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.
And when
the days of his service
were complete
, he returned
home
.
And it
came
to
pass,
that,
as
soon
as
the days of his ministration
were accomplished
, he departed
to
his
own
house
.
After these
days ,
his wife Elizabeth
became
pregnant
and for
five months remained
in
seclusion.
She
declared
,
And
after those
days his wife Elisabeth
conceived,
and hid
herself
five months, saying,
“
The Lord has
done
this
for
me .
In these
days He has
shown
me favor
and
taken
away my disgrace
among the
people
. ”
Thus
hath
the Lord dealt
with
me in the
days wherein
he looked
on
me ,
to
take
away my reproach
among men
.
In the sixth month ,
God
sent
the angel Gabriel to
a town
in
Galilee called
Nazareth,
And
in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was
sent
from
God
unto
a city
of
Galilee ,
named
Nazareth,
to a virgin pledged
in
marriage
to a man named
Joseph, who
was
of the house of David .
And the virgin’s
name was Mary.
To a virgin espoused
to a man whose
name
was
Joseph, of the house of David ;
and the virgin's
name was Mary.
The angel appeared
to
her and said, “Greetings
, you
who
are
highly favored!
The Lord is with you
. ”
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
.
Mary
was greatly
troubled at his words
and wondered
what kind
of greeting
this might
be.
And
when
she
saw
him,
she
was troubled at his saying,
and cast
in
her
mind
what manner
of salutation
this should
be.
So
the angel told
her, “Do
not be
afraid
, Mary ,
for you
have
found favor
with God.
And
the angel said
unto
her, Fear
not, Mary :
for thou
hast
found favour
with God.
Behold, you
will
conceive and give
birth
to
a son, and you
are
to
give
Him
the
name Jesus.
And,
behold, thou
shalt
conceive in
thy
womb,
and bring
forth
a son, and shalt
call
his
name JESUS.
He will
be great and will
be called the Son of the Most
High.
The Lord God will
give Him the throne of His father David ,
He 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 :
and He will
reign over the house of Jacob forever.
His kingdom will
never
end !”
And he shall
reign over the house of Jacob for
ever;
and
of
his kingdom there
shall
be
no
end .
“How
can
this
be,”
Mary asked
the angel, “since
I am
a virgin
? ”
Then
said
Mary unto
the angel, How
shall
this
be,
seeing
I know
not
a man
?
The angel replied
, “
The Holy Spirit
will
come upon you
, and the power of the Most
High
will
overshadow you.
So
the
Holy One
to
be born will
be called the Son of God.
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.
Look
, even
Elizabeth
your
relative
has
conceived a son in her old age ,
and she
who was called barren is
in
her
sixth
month
.
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.
For no
word
from
God will
ever
fail
. ”
For with
God nothing
shall
be
impossible
.
“I
am
the
Lord’s
servant,”
Mary answered.
“May
it happen
to
me according to your
word. ”
Then
the angel left
her.
And
Mary said,
Behold
the
handmaid
of
the
Lord;
be
it unto
me according to thy
word. And
the angel departed
from
her.
In those days Mary
got
ready
and hurried
to
a
town
in
the hill country of
Judah
,
And
Mary
arose
in those days ,
and went
into
the hill country with
haste
, into
a
city
of
Juda;
where
she
entered the home
of Zechariah
and greeted
Elizabeth
.
And
entered into
the house
of Zacharias,
and saluted
Elisabeth
.
When Elizabeth
heard Mary’s
greeting
, the baby
leaped in her womb ,
and Elizabeth
was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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:
In
a loud voice she
exclaimed
, “
Blessed are
you
among women, and blessed is the fruit of your
womb !
And
she
spake
out
with
a loud voice, and
said,
Blessed art
thou
among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb .
And why
am
I
so
honored
, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
And whence
is
this
to
me
, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For as soon as the sound
of your
greeting
reached
my
ears, the baby
in my womb leaped
for joy.
For ,
lo,
as soon as the voice
of thy
salutation
sounded
in
mine
ears, the babe
leaped
in my womb for joy.
Blessed is she who
has
believed
that the
Lord’s
word
to
her
will
be fulfilled
. ”
And
blessed is she that believed:
for
there
shall
be a
performance
of
those
things
which
were
told
her
from
the
Lord
.
Then
Mary said :
“
My soul magnifies
the Lord,
And
Mary said ,
My soul doth
magnify
the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices
in God my Savior!
And my spirit hath
rejoiced
in God my Saviour.
For He has
looked
with
favor
on
the humble
state
of His servant.
From now
on
all generations will
call me blessed.
For he hath
regarded
the low
estate
of his handmaiden:
for,
behold,
from henceforth
all generations shall
call me blessed.
For the
Mighty One
has
done great things for
me.
Holy is His name.
For he
that
is
mighty hath
done to
me
great things ;
and
holy is his name.
His mercy extends
to
those
who
fear Him ,
from generation to generation.
And
his mercy is
on
them
that
fear him from generation to generation.
He has
performed
mighty
deeds
with His arm; He has
scattered those
who
are
proud in the thoughts
of their hearts.
He hath
shewed
strength
with his arm; he hath
scattered the
proud in the imagination
of their hearts.
He has
brought
down rulers
from their thrones
, but
has
exalted the
humble
.
He hath
put
down the
mighty
from their seats
, and
exalted them
of
low
degree
.
He has
filled the hungry with good things ,
but
has
sent
the rich away
empty.
He hath
filled the hungry with good things ;
and
the rich he
hath
sent
empty away
.
He has
helped
His servant Israel, remembering
to
be
merciful,
He hath
holpen
his servant Israel, in
remembrance
of
his
mercy;
as He promised
to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants
forever
. ”
As he spake
to our fathers, to Abraham ,
and to
his seed
for
ever
.
Mary stayed
with Elizabeth
for
about three months and then
returned home
.
And
Mary abode
with her
about three months ,
and returned to
her
own
house
.
When
the
time came for
Elizabeth
to
have
her
child,
she gave
birth
to
a son.
Now
Elisabeth's
full
time came that
she should
be
delivered;
and
she
brought
forth
a son.
Her neighbors
and relatives
heard that
the Lord had shown
her
great mercy ,
and they rejoiced with her.
And
her neighbours
and her
cousins
heard how
the Lord had shewed
great mercy upon
her;
and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day ,
when
they came to circumcise the child ,
they were
going
to
name
him after his father Zechariah
.
And
it
came
to
pass,
that
on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child ;
and
they called
him Zacharias,
after the
name
of
his father.
But
his mother replied
, “No!
He shall be called John. ”
And
his mother answered
and
said
, Not
so;
but
he shall be called John.
They said to
her, “
There is no
one
among
your
relatives
who
bears
this name. ”
And
they said unto
her, There is none
of
thy
kindred
that
is
called
by
this name.
So
they made signs to his father to
find
out
what
he wanted
to
name
the
child
.
And
they made signs to his father ,
how
he would
have
him
called
.
Zechariah
asked for a tablet
and wrote, “
His name is John. ”
And they were
all amazed
.
And
he
asked for a writing
table,
and wrote, saying,
His name is John. And they marvelled
all.
Immediately
Zechariah’s
mouth was opened and his tongue was
released
, and he began
to
speak
, praising
God.
And
his
mouth was opened immediately,
and his tongue loosed
, and he spake
, and
praised
God.
All their
neighbors
were
filled
with
awe,
and people
throughout the hill country of Judea
were
talking
about
these
events
.
And
fear
came
on
all that
dwelt
round
about
them:
and all
these
sayings
were
noised
abroad
throughout all
the hill country of Judaea
.
And all who
heard this
wondered
in their hearts and
asked
, “
What then
will
this
child become?”
For
the Lord’s
hand was with him.
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.
Then
his father Zechariah
was filled with the Holy Spirit
and prophesied :
And
his father Zacharias
was filled with the Holy Ghost,
and prophesied ,
saying,
“
Blessed be the Lord ,
the
God of Israel ,
because
He has
visited and redeemed His people .
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ;
for
he hath
visited and redeemed his people ,
He
has
raised up a
horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David ,
And
hath
raised up an
horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David ;
as He spoke
through
His holy prophets, those
of
ages
past,
As he spake
by
the
mouth
of
his holy prophets, which
have
been
since
the
world
began:
salvation
from our enemies and from the hand of all who
hate us ,
That
we
should
be
saved
from our enemies ,
and from the hand of all that
hate us ;
to show
mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant ,
To perform
the
mercy promised
to our fathers ,
and to remember his holy covenant ;
the oath He swore
to our father Abraham, to
grant
us
The oath which
he sware
to our father Abraham,
deliverance
from
hostile
hands
, that we may
serve Him without fear,
That
he
would
grant
unto
us
, that we being
delivered
out
of
the
hand
of
our
enemies
might
serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives
.
In holiness and righteousness before him ,
all the days of our life
.
And you
, child, will
be called a
prophet of the Most
High;
for you
will
go on
before the Lord to prepare the
way
for
Him,
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;
to give to
His
people
the
knowledge of salvation through
the forgiveness
of their sins,
To give knowledge of salvation unto
his
people
by
the remission
of their sins,
because
of
the tender mercy of our God ,
by
which
the Dawn
will
visit
us
from on high,
Through
the tender mercy of our God ;
whereby
the dayspring
from on high hath
visited
us
,
to shine
on
those
who
live
in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path
of peace. ”
To give
light
to
them
that
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 he
lived
in the wilderness
until
the time
of his public
appearance
to
Israel.
And the child grew ,
and waxed
strong in spirit ,
and was
in the deserts
till
the day
of his shewing
unto
Israel.
Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible and King James Version. Public domain; source text distributed by BSB Publishing, LLC.; UK publication rights are administered by the Crown's patentee; public domain in most other jurisdictions..