Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us,
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Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us,
2 According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word:
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just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,
3 It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
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I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.
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so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
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In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame.
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Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.
7 And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren: and they both were well advanced in years.
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But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.
8 And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God,
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Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty,
9 According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord.
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he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.
10 And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense.
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Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
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Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And Zachary seeing him, was troubled: and fear fell upon him.
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When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him.
13 But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt call his name John.
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But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John.
14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness: and many shall rejoice in his nativity.
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You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 For he shall be great before the Lord and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.
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for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
16 And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
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He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias: that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people.
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With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 And Zachary said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.
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Zechariah said to the angel, "How will I know that this is so? For I am an old man, and my wife is getting on in years."
19 And the angel answering, said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God and am sent to speak to thee and to bring thee these good tidings.
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The angel replied, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 And behold, thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass: because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time.
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But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, you will become mute, unable to speak, until the day these things occur."
21 And the people were waiting for Zachary: and they wondered that he tarried so long in the temple.
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Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and wondered at his delay in the sanctuary.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he made signs to them and remained dumb.
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When he did come out, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept motioning to them and remained unable to speak.
23 And it came to pass, after the days of his office were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
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When his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 And after those days, Elizabeth his wife conceived and hid herself five months, saying:
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After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she remained in seclusion. She said,
25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he hath had regard to take away my reproach among men.
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"This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked favorably on me and took away the disgrace I have endured among my people."
26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,
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In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin’s name was Mary.
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to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
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And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you."
29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.
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But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.
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The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
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And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32 He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.
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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 ancestor David.
33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end.
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He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end."
34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?
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Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"
35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
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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 holy; he will be called Son of God.
36 And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren.
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And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren.
37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.
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For nothing will be impossible with God."
38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
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Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.
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In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country,
40 And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth.
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where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.
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When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
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and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
43 And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
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And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
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For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy.
45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.
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And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."
46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.
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And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
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and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
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for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name.
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for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
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His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
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He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble.
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He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.
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he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty.
54 He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy.
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He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55 As he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
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according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever."
56 And Mary abode with her about three months. And she returned to her own house.
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And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
57 Now Elizabeth’s full time of being delivered was come: and she brought forth a son.
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Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.
58 And her neighbors and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her: and they congratulated with her.
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Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.
59 And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child: and they called him by his father’s name Zachary.
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On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father.
60 And his mother answering, said: Not so. But he shall be called John.
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But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John."
61 And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
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They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name."
62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
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Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him.
63 And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.
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He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed.
64 And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed: and he spoke, blessing God.
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Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 And fear came upon all their neighbours: and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea.
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Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea.
66 And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
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All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost. And he prophesied, saying:
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Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy:
68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people.
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"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them.
69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant.
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He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David,
70 As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning.
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as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
71 Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us.
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that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
72 To perform mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy testament.
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Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant,
73 The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us.
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the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us
74 That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear:
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that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and justice before him, all our days.
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in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76 And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt, go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:
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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, unto the remission of their sins.
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to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.
78 Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:
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By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us,
79 To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.
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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 was strengthened in spirit: and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel.
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The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.