New King James Version NKJV
New International Version NIV
1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
1
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
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just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
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With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
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so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
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In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
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Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
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But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
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Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
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he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense.
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And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.