1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; 4 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
8 Now while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his division 9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, "Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 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 prepare a people prepared for the Lord."
18 Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years."
19 The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 24 After these days Elizabeth his wife conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men."
26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!"
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30 The angel said to her, "Don’t be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him ‘Jesus.’ 32 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, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom."
34 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"
35 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 36 Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible."
38 Mary said, "Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word."
Then the angel departed from her.
39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She called out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"
46 Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked at the humble state of his servant.
For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.
51 He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down princes from their thrones,
and has exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his offspring forever."
56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
57 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."
61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." 62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John."
They all marveled. 64 His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.
67 His father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
68 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people;
69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
70 (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show mercy toward our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant,
73 the oath which he swore to Abraham our father,
74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
should serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
76 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the dawn from on high will visit us,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death;
to guide our feet into the way of peace."
80 The child was growing and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
1 尊敬的提阿非罗先生， 因为有许多人， 已经把在我们中间成就了的事，
2 按照起初亲眼看见的传道人所传给我们的， 编著成书；
3 我已经把这些事从头考查过， 认为也应该按着次序写给你，
4 让你晓得所学到的道理， 都是确实的。
5 犹太王希律在位的日子， 亚比雅班里有一个祭司， 名叫撒迦利亚， 他妻子是亚伦的后代， 名叫以利沙伯。
6 他们在 神面前都是义人， 遵行主的一切诫命规条， 无可指摘，
7 只是没有孩子， 因为以利沙伯不生育， 二人又都上了年纪。
8 有一次， 撒迦利亚在 神面前按着班次执行祭司的职务，
9 照祭司的惯例抽中了签， 进入主的圣殿烧香。
10 烧香的时候， 众人都在外面祈祷。
11 有主的使者站在香坛右边， 向他显现。
12 撒迦利亚一见就惊慌起来， 十分害怕。
13 天使说： "撒迦利亚， 不要怕， 因为你的祈求已蒙垂听， 你妻子以利沙伯要给你生一个儿子， 你要给他起名叫约翰。
14 你必欢喜快乐， 许多人因他出生， 也必喜乐。
15 他在主面前要被尊为大， 淡酒浓酒都不喝， 未出母腹就被圣灵充满。
16 他要使许多以色列人转向主他们的 神。
17 他必有以利亚的灵和能力， 行在主的前面， 叫父亲的心转向儿女， 叫悖逆的转向义人的意念， 为主安排那预备好了的人民。"
18 撒迦利亚对天使说： "我怎么能知道这事呢？我已经老了， 我妻子也上了年纪。"
19 天使回答： "我是站在 神面前的加百列， 奉差遣向你说话， 报给你这好消息。
20 看吧！ 到了时候我的话必要应验； 因为你不信我的话， 你必成为哑巴， 直到这些事成就的那一天， 才能说话。"
21 众人等候撒迦利亚； 因他在圣殿里迟迟不出来， 觉得奇怪。
22 等到他出来， 却不能讲话， 竟成了哑巴， 不断地向他们打手式， 他们就知道他在圣殿里见了异象。
23 供职的日子满了， 他就回家去。
24 过了几天， 他妻子以利沙伯怀了孕， 隐藏了五个月， 说：
25 "主在眷顾的日子， 这样看待我， 要把我在人间的羞耻除掉。"
26 到了第六个月， 天使加百列奉 神差遣， 往加利利的拿撒勒城去，
27 到了一个童贞女那里， 她已经和大卫家一个名叫约瑟的人订了婚， 童贞女的名字是马利亚。
28 天使进去， 对她说： "恭喜！ 蒙大恩的女子， 主与你同在！ "
29 她却因这话惊慌起来， 反复思想这样祝贺是什么意思。
30 天使说： "马利亚， 不要怕！ 因你已从 神那里蒙了恩。
31 你将怀孕生子， 要给他起名叫耶稣。
32 他将要被尊为大， 称为至高者的儿子， 主 神要把他祖大卫的王位赐给他，
33 他要作王统治雅各家， 直到永远， 他的国没有穷尽。"
34 马利亚对天使说： "我还没有出嫁， 怎能有这事呢？"
35 天使回答： "圣灵要临到你， 至高者的能力要覆庇你， 因此那将要出生的圣者， 必称为 神的儿子。
36 你看， 你亲戚以利沙伯， 被称为不生育的， 在老年也怀了男胎， 现在已是第六个月了，
37 因为在 神没有一件事是不可能的。"
38 马利亚说： "我是主的婢女， 愿照你的话成就在我身上！ "天使就离开她去了。
39 后来， 马利亚就起身， 急忙向山地去， 来到犹大的一座城，
40 进了撒迦利亚的家， 向以利沙伯问安。
41 以利沙伯一听见马利亚的问安， 腹中的胎儿就跳动， 以利沙伯也被圣灵充满，
42 就高声说： "你在女子中是有福的！ 你腹中的胎儿也是有福的！
43 我主的母亲竟然到我这里来。这事怎会临到我呢？
44 你看， 你问安的声音一进我的耳朵， 我腹中的胎儿就欢喜跳跃。
45 这相信主传给她的话必要成就的女子是有福的。"
46 马利亚说： "我心尊主为大，
47 我灵以 神我的救主为乐，
48 因为他垂顾他使女的卑微， 看哪！ 今后万代都要称我为有福。
49 全能者为我行了大事， 他的名为圣；
50 他的怜悯世世代代归与敬畏他的人。
51 他用膀臂施展大能， 驱散心里妄想的狂傲人。
52 他使有权能的失位， 叫卑微的升高，
53 让饥饿的得饱美食， 使富足的空手回去。
54 他扶助了他的仆人以色列， 为要记念他的怜悯，
55 正如他向我们列祖所说的， 恩待亚伯拉罕和他的后裔， 直到永远。"
56 马利亚和以利沙伯同住约有三个月， 就回家去了。
57 以利沙伯的产期到了， 生了一个儿子。
58 邻里亲戚， 听见主向她大施怜悯， 都和她一同欢乐。
59 到了第八天， 他们来给孩子行割礼， 要照他父亲的名字， 叫他撒迦利亚。
60 但他母亲说： "不可， 要叫他约翰。"
61 他们说： "你亲族里没有叫这名字的。"
62 他们就向孩子的父亲打手式， 看他要叫他什么。
63 他要了一块写字版， 写上说： "他的名字是约翰。"众人都希奇。
64 撒迦利亚的口舌立刻开了， 就出声称颂 神。
65 住在周围的人都害怕， 这一切事传遍了整个犹太山地，
66 凡听见的就把这些事放在心里， 说： "这孩子将会成为怎样的人呢？因为主的手与他同在。"
67 他的父亲撒迦利亚被圣灵充满， 预言说：
68 "主， 以色列的 神， 是应当称颂的， 因他眷顾自己的子民， 施行救赎，
69 在他仆人大卫家中， 为我们兴起救恩的角，
70 正如主自古以来借圣先知口中所说的，
71 救我们脱离仇敌， 和恨我们的人的手；
72 向我们列祖施怜悯， 记念他的圣约，
73 就是他对我们祖先亚伯拉罕所起的誓，
74 把我们从仇敌手中救拔出来， 叫我们可以坦然无惧， 用圣洁公义， 在他面前一生一世敬拜他。
76 孩子啊， 你要称为至高者的先知， 因为你要行在主的面前， 预备他的路，
77 使他的子民， 因罪得赦， 就知道救恩。
78 因我们 神的怜悯， 使清晨的阳光从高天临到我们，
79 光照那坐在黑暗中死荫里的人， 引导我们的脚， 走上平安的路。"
80 这孩子渐渐长大， 心灵健壮， 住在旷野， 直到他在以色列人中公开露面的日子。