THE GOSPEL ACCORDING to
*LUKE

Luke 1 ©

1 The preface of Luke to his Gospel. 5 The parentage and life of Zacharias and Elisabeth. 8 An angel appears to Zacharias in the temple. 13 Who foretells him the conception and birth of John, whose office he describes. 18 Zacharias, not believing this, is therefore punished with dumbness for a season. 24 Elisabeth conceives. 26 The angel Gabriel declares to the virgin Mary, that she shall conceive and bring forth the Son of God. 39 Afterwards she goes to Elisabeth, who received her with joy, and pronounces her blessed. 46 Mary praises the Lord with an hymn. 57 Elisabeth brings forth her son. 59 Who is circumcised and called John. 64 Zacharias recovers his speech again, and sings a song of praise to the Lord, prophesying of the office of Christ and His forerunner John. 80 Who grows up in the wilderness, and becomes strong in the spirit.

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FORASMUCHa as 1many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed 2among us,

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Even as they delivered them unto us, 3which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers 4of the word;

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It seemed good to me also, having had perfect 5understanding of all things 6from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most 7excellent 8Theophilus,

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That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been 9instructed.

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¶THERE was 10in the days of 11Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, ofb the 12course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

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And they were both righteous 13before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord 14blameless.

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And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well strickenc in years.

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And it came to pass, that while he executed 15the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

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According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incensed when he went into the templee of the Lord.

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And the whole multitude of the people were praying 16without at the time of incense.

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And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the 17altar of incense.

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

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But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thouf shalt call his name 18John.

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And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shallg rejoice at his birth.

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For he shall be 19great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neitherh20wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

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And many of the children of Israel shalli he turn to the Lord their God.

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And hej shall go before him 21in the spirit and power of Elias, 22tok turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people 23prepared for the Lord.

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And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for Il am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

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And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that 24stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to 25shew thee these glad tidings.

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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.

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And the people 26waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

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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.

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And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were 27accomplished, he departed to his own house.

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And after those days his wife Elisabeth 28conceived, and hid herself 29five months, saying,

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Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away mym30reproach among men.

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And in the 31sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

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Ton a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the 32house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

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And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly 33favoured, the Lord is with thee: 34blessed art thou among women.

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And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

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And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

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And,o behold, thou shalt 35conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his namep36JESUS.

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Heq shall be great, and shall be 37called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord Godr shall give unto him 38the throne of his 39father David:

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Ands40he shall reign over 41the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

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Then said Mary unto the angel, 42How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

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And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come 43upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that 44holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the 45Son of God.

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And, behold, thy 46cousint Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

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Foru with God 47nothing shall be impossible.

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And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

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And Mary 48arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into 49a city of Juda;

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And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

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And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe 50leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

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And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

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

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For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

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Andv blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her 51from the Lord.

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And Mary said, My soul doth 52magnify the Lord,

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And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

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For he hath regarded 53the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

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For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

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Andw his mercy is on them that fear him 54from generation to generation.

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Hex hath shewed 55strength 56with his arm; hey hath 57scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

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He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of lowz degree.

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Heaa hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

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Heab hath 58holpenac his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

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As he spake to our fathers, toad Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

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And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

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Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

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And her neighbours and her cousinsae heard how the Lord had shewed 59great mercy upon her; and they rejoicedaf with her.

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And it came to pass, that on the eighthag day they came to circumcise the child; and they 60called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

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

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

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

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And he asked for 62a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

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And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and 63praised God.

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And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these 64sayings were noised abroadai throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

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And all they that heard them 65laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And 66the hand of the Lord was with him.

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And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

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67Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath 68visited and redeemed his people,

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Andaj hath raised up 69an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

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Asak he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since 70the world began:

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That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

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To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to 71remember his holy covenant;

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72The oathal which he sware to our father Abraham,

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That he would grant unto us, thatam we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

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

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Andao thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face 73of the Lord to prepare his ways;

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Toap give knowledge of salvation unto his people 74by the remission of their sins,

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Through the 75tender mercy of our God; whereby the 76dayspringaq from on high hath visited us,

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Toar77give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

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Andas the child grew, and waxed strong 78in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of 79his shewing unto Israel.