Luke 1 — English MEV 2014 (Modern English Version)

1Whereas many have undertaken to write a narrative of those things which are most surely believed among us,

2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,

3it seemed good to me also, having accurately investigated all things from the very beginning, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,

4that you might know the certainty of the things which you have been told.

5There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly.

7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well advanced in years.

8Now while he served as priest before God, when his division was on duty,

9according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

10And the whole crowd of people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

12When Zechariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not fear, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

14You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

16He will turn many of the Israelites to the Lord their God.

17And he will 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.”

18Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife well advanced in years.”

19The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. And I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

20And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things happen, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their season.”

21The people waited for Zechariah, and wondered why he waited so long in the temple.

22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he made signs to them and remained speechless.

23As soon as the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his own home.

24After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying,

25“Thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.”

26In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

27to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

28The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”

29When she saw him, she was troubled by his words, and considered in her mind what kind of greeting this might be.

30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son and shall call His name Jesus.

32He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there will be no end.”

34Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

35The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God.

36And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her who was declared barren.

37For with God nothing will be impossible.”

38Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord. May it be unto me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

39In those days Mary arose and quickly went into the hill country, to a city of Judah,

40and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

41When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42She spoke out with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

45Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a completion to those things which were told her by the Lord.”

46And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

48For He has regarded the low estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.

49For He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.

50His mercy is on those who fear Him from generation to generation.

51He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52He has pulled down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree.

53He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.

54He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy,

55as He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

56Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her own house.

57Now Elizabeth’s time had come to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.

58Her neighbors and cousins heard how the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

59On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they were calling him Zechariah, after the name of his father.

60But his mother said, “Not so! He shall be called John.”

61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”

62They made signs to his father, asking what he would have him called.

63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all were amazed.

64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he spoke and praised God.

65Fear came on all who lived around them. And all these facts were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.

66All those who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will he be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.

67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people,

69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,

70as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago,

71that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

72to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,

73the oath which He swore to our father Abraham,

74to grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear,

75in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.

76“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; for you will go before the presence of the Lord to prepare His ways,

77to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins,

78through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us;

79to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

80And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he remained in the wilderness until the day of his appearance to Israel.