Luke 1:1–25

Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of ↦those things which are most surely believed among us,⇇

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

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,⇇

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

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.⇇

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

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

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

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 the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.⇉⇇

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

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

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.⇉⇇

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.⇉⇇

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.⇇

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.⇉⇇

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.⇉⇇

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

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, 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.⇇

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

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

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

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