Parallel Bible results for "Luke 1"

Luke 1

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1 So many others have tried their hand at putting together a story of the wonderful harvest of Scripture and history that took place among us,
1 Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us.
2 using reports handed down by the original eyewitnesses who served this Word with their very lives.
2 They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.
3 Since I have investigated all the reports in close detail, starting from the story's beginning, I decided to write it all out for you, most honorable Theophilus,
3 Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus,
4 so you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt the reliability of what you were taught. A Childless Couple Conceives
4 so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.
5 During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth.
5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron.
6 Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God.
6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.
7 But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old.
7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment,
8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week.
9 it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense.
9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.
10 The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering.
10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.
11 Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense.
11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar.
12 Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.
12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him.
13 But the angel reassured him, "Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John.
13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.
14 You're going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you - many will delight in his birth.
14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 He'll achieve great stature with God.
15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.
16 He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God.
16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God.
17 He will herald God's arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics - he'll get the people ready for God."
17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”
18 Zachariah said to the angel, "Do you expect me to believe this? I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman."
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
19 But the angel said, "I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news.
19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news!
20 But because you won't believe me, you'll be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth. Every word I've spoken to you will come true on time - God's time."
20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”
21 Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary.
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long.
22 When he came out and couldn't speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.
22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
23 When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home.[
23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.
24 It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy.
24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months.
25 "So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.
25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,
27 to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary.
27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.
28 Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: Good morning! You're beautiful with God's beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.
28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! ”
29 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that.
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
30 But the angel assured her, "Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you:
30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God!
31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.
31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32 He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.' The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David;
32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.
33 He will rule Jacob's house forever - no end, ever, to his kingdom."
33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary said to the angel, "But how? I've never slept with a man."
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God.
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.
36 "And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months' pregnant!
36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.
37 Nothing, you see, is impossible with God."
37 For the word of God will never fail. ”
38 And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her. Blessed Among Women
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.
39 Mary didn't waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country,
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town
40 straight to Zachariah's house, and greeted Elizabeth.
40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit,
41 At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 and sang out exuberantly, You're so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed!
42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.
43 And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me?
43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?
44 The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy.
44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.
45 Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true!
45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”
46 And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news;
46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47 I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.
47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 God took one good look at me, and look what happened - I'm the most fortunate woman on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.
50 His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.
51 He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.
53 The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
54 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.
55 It's exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to now.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and then went back to her own home.
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.
57 When Elizabeth was full-term in her pregnancy, she bore a son.
57 When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.
58 Her neighbors and relatives, seeing that God had overwhelmed her with mercy, celebrated with her.
58 And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.
59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child and were calling him Zachariah after his father.
59 When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father.
60 But his mother intervened: "No. He is to be called John."
60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”
61 "But," they said, "no one in your family is named that."
61 “What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.”
62 They used sign language to ask Zachariah what he wanted him named.
62 So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him.
63 Asking for a tablet, Zachariah wrote, "His name is to be John." That took everyone by surprise.
63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.”
64 Surprise followed surprise - Zachariah's mouth was now open, his tongue loose, and he was talking, praising God!
64 Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.
65 A deep, reverential fear settled over the neighborhood, and in all that Judean hill country people talked about nothing else.
65 Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.
66 Everyone who heard about it took it to heart, wondering, "What will become of this child? Clearly, God has his hand in this."
66 Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon him in a special way.
67 Then Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,
67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:
68 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he came and set his people free.
68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69 He set the power of salvation in the center of our lives, and in the very house of David his servant,
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David,
70 Just as he promised long ago through the preaching of his holy prophets:
70 just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago.
71 Deliverance from our enemies and every hateful hand;
71 Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us.
72 Mercy to our fathers, as he remembers to do what he said he'd do,
72 He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant—
73 What he swore to our father Abraham -
73 the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham.
74 a clean rescue from the enemy camp, So we can worship him without a care in the world,
74 We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear,
75 made holy before him as long as we live.
75 in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live.
76 And you, my child, "Prophet of the Highest," will go ahead of the Master to prepare his ways,
76 “And you, my little son, will be called the prophet of the Most High, because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 Present the offer of salvation to his people, the forgiveness of their sins.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Through the heartfelt mercies of our God, God's Sunrise will break in upon us,
78 Because of God’s tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 Shining on those in the darkness, those sitting in the shadow of death, Then showing us the way, one foot at a time, down the path of peace.
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace.”
80 The child grew up, healthy and spirited. He lived out in the desert until the day he made his prophetic debut in Israel.
80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.