Parallel Bible results for "luke 1"

Luke 1

Common English Bible CEB

1 Many people have already applied themselves to the task of compiling an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us.

2 They used what the original eyewitnesses and servants of the word handed down to us.

3 Now, after having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, I have also decided to write a carefully ordered account for you, most honorable Theophilus.

4 I want you to have confidence in the soundness of the instruction you have received.

5 During the rule of King Herod of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron.

6 They were both righteous before God, blameless in their observance of all the Lord's commandments and regulations.

7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to become pregnant and they both were very old.

8 One day Zechariah was serving as a priest before God because his priestly division was on duty.

9 Following the customs of priestly service, he was chosen by lottery to go into the Lord's sanctuary and burn incense.

10 All the people who gathered to worship were praying outside during this hour of incense offering.

11 An angel from the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

12 When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and overcome with fear.

13 The angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayers have been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to your son and you must name him John.

14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many people will rejoice at his birth,

15 for he will be great in the Lord's eyes. He must not drink wine and liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before his birth.

16 He will bring many Israelites back to the Lord their God.

17 He will go forth before the Lord, equipped with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will turn the hearts of fathers back to their children, and he will turn the disobedient to righteous patterns of thinking. He will make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

18 Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? My wife and I are very old."

19 The angel replied, "I am Gabriel. I stand in God's presence. I was sent to speak to you and to bring this good news to you.

20 Know this: What I have spoken will come true at the proper time. But because you didn't believe, you will remain silent, unable to speak until the day when these things happen."

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered why he was in the sanctuary for such a long time.

22 When he came out, he was unable to speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he gestured to them and couldn't speak.

23 When he completed the days of his priestly service, he returned home.

24 Afterward, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. She kept to herself for five months, saying,

25 "This is the Lord's doing. He has shown his favor to me by removing my disgrace among other people."

26 When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee,

27 to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David's house. The virgin's name was Mary.

28 When the angel came to her, he said, "Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!"

29 She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30 The angel said, "Don't be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you.

31 Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.

32 He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father.

33 He will rule over Jacob's house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom."

34 Then Mary said to the angel, "How will this happen since I haven't had sexual relations with a man?"

35 The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God's Son.

36 Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive' is now six months pregnant.

37 Nothing is impossible for God."

38 Then Mary said, "I am the Lord's servant. Let it be with me just as you have said." Then the angel left her.

39 Mary got up and hurried to a city in the Judean highlands.

40 She entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 With a loud voice she blurted out, "God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry.

43 Why do I have this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

45 Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her."

46 Mary said, "With all my heart I glorify the Lord!

47 In the depths of who I am I rejoice in God my savior.

48 He has looked with favor on the low status of his servant. Look! From now on, everyone will consider me highly favored

49 because the mighty one has done great things for me. Holy is his name.

50 He shows mercy to everyone, from one generation to the next, who honors him as God.

51 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts and proud inclinations.

52 He has pulled the powerful down from their thrones and lifted up the lowly.

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

54 He has come to the aid of his servant Israel, remembering his mercy,

55 just as he promised to our ancestors, to Abraham and to Abraham's descendants forever."

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.

57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a boy.

58 Her neighbors and relatives celebrated with her because they had heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy.

59 On the eighth day, it came time to circumcise the child. They wanted to name him Zechariah because that was his father's name.

60 But his mother replied, "No, his name will be John."

61 They said to her, "None of your relatives have that name."

62 Then they began gesturing to his father to see what he wanted to call him.

63 After asking for a tablet, he surprised everyone by writing, "His name is John."

64 At that moment, Zechariah was able to speak again, and he began praising God.

65 All their neighbors were filled with awe, and everyone throughout the Judean highlands talked about what had happened.

66 All who heard about this considered it carefully. They said, "What then will this child be?" Indeed, the Lord's power was with him.

67 John's father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,

68 "Bless the Lord God of Israel because he has come to help and has delivered his people.

69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us in his servant David's house,

70 just as he said through the mouths of his holy prophets long ago.

71 He has brought salvation from our enemies and from the power of all those who hate us.

72 He has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and remembered his holy covenant,

73 the solemn pledge he made to our ancestor Abraham. He has granted

74 that we would be rescued from the power of our enemies so that we could serve him without fear,

75 in holiness and righteousness in God's eyes, for as long as we live.

76 You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way.

77 You will tell his people how to be saved through the forgiveness of their sins.

78 Because of our God's deep compassion, the dawn from heaven will break upon us,

79 to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide us on the path of peace."

80 The child grew up, becoming strong in character. He was in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

Revised Standard Version RSV

1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us,

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

3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent The-oph'ilus,

4 that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechari'ah, of the division of Abi'jah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

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

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

9 according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

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

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

12 And Zechari'ah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechari'ah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth;

15 for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb.

16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God,

17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Eli'jah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."

18 And Zechari'ah said to the angel, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years."

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

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

21 And the people were waiting for Zechari'ah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple.

22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.

23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

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

25 "Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."

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

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"

29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.

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

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

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."

34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?"

35 And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

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

37 For with God nothing will be impossible."

38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

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

40 and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth.

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

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

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

45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;

49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,

52 he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree;

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

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

55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."

56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.

57 Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son.

58 And her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they would have named him Zechari'ah after his father,

60 but his mother said, "Not so; he shall be called John."

61 And they said to her, "None of your kindred is called by this name."

62 And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he would have him called.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." And they all marveled.

64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.

65 And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea;

66 and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 And his father Zechari'ah 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,

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 from of old,

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

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

73 the oath which he swore to our father Abraham,

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

75 in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.

76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,

78 through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high

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

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till the day of his manifestation to Israel.