GOD'S WORD Translation GW
New International Version NIV
1 Many have attempted to write about what had taken place among us.
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Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 They received their information from those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of God's word from the beginning, and they passed it on 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 I, too, have followed everything closely from the beginning. So I thought it would be a good idea to write an orderly account for Your Excellency, 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 In this way you will know that what you've been told is true.
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so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division of priests named after Abijah. Zechariah's wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.
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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 Zechariah and Elizabeth had God's approval. They followed all the Lord's commands and regulations perfectly.
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Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.
7 Yet, they never had any children because Elizabeth couldn't become pregnant. Both of them were too old to have children.
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But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 Zechariah was on duty with his division of priests. As he served in God's presence,
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Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 he was chosen by priestly custom to go into the Lord's temple to burn incense.
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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 All the people were praying outside while he was burning incense.
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And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
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