2 ARST They have been recording what the people who saw these things happen told us about them. Those people were there from the time when everything first started happening, and they have been sharing the story ever since. BSB BSB: just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 ARST I myself have carefully investigated everything that happened from the very beginning. So I decided that I should also write an accurate account for you. Your Excellency, Theophilus, BSB BSB: Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 ARST I want you to know that what people have told you about Jesus is true. BSB BSB: so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
6 ARST God considered that both of them were righteous because they always obeyed everything that the Lord had commanded. BSB BSB: Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
7 ARST But they did not have any children, because Elizabeth had been unable to bear children. And now she and her husband were too old to have children. BSB BSB: But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8 ARST The time came for Zechariah’ s group of priests to take its turn{ serving in Jerusalem}. So Zechariah was there working as a priest for God. BSB BSB: One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 ARST The priests chose Zechariah to go into the Lord’ s temple and burn incense there. They chose him in their usual way, by casting lots{ to determine whom God wanted to perform a particular task}. BSB BSB: he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10 ARST When it was time to burn the incense, many people were praying{ in the courtyard} outside{ the temple}. BSB BSB: And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11 ARST Just then, an angel of the Lord came to Zechariah. He stood at the right side of the altar where he was burning incense. BSB BSB: Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 ARST When Zechariah saw the angel, he became agitated and terrified. BSB BSB: When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
13 ARST But the angel said to him,“There is no reason to be afraid{ of me}, Zechariah. You have been praying, and God is going to answer your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son for you. Give him the name John. BSB BSB: But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
14 ARST You will be very happy, and many other people will also be happy when he is born. BSB BSB: He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 ARST You and they will be happy because your son will be very influential for God. He must never drink wine or any other alcoholic drink. The Holy Spirit will begin to influence him even before he is born. BSB BSB: for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
16 ARST Your son will persuade many of the Israelites to stop sinning and to start obeying the Lord their God again. BSB BSB: Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
18 ARST Then Zechariah said to the angel,“How can I be sure that the things you have said will really happen? I am very old, and my wife is also very old{, so it is difficult for me to believe that they will happen}.” BSB BSB: “How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19 ARST Then the angel replied to him,“I am Gabriel! I stand in God’ s presence! God sent me to tell you this good news about what will happen to you. BSB BSB: “I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 ARST Now listen! What I have told you will certainly happen at the time that God has decided. But since you did not believe my message, God will keep you from talking. You will not be able to speak until the day that your son is born!” BSB BSB: And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21 ARST { While Zechariah and the angel were talking in the temple,} the people in the courtyard were waiting for Zechariah to come out. They wondered why he was staying in the temple for such a long time. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
22 ARST Then he came out of the temple, but he was not able to speak to them. Because he could not talk, he made motions with his hands to try to explain what had happened. This made the people conclude that he had seen a vision from God while he was in the temple. BSB BSB: When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23 ARST When Zechariah finished the time he needed to work as a priest in the temple, he left Jerusalem and went back to his home. BSB BSB: And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
24 ARST Some time after this, his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant, and she did not go out in public for five months. She said to herself, BSB BSB: After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
25 ARST “The Lord has enabled me to become pregnant. In this way, he has shown compassion to me. Thanks to him, I no longer have to feel ashamed around other people.” BSB BSB: “The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
27 ARST God sent him there to speak to a virgin whose name was Mary.{ Her parents had promised that} she would marry a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. BSB BSB: to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
28 ARST The angel came to where Mary was and said to her,“Hello, blessed one! You are very special to the Lord!” BSB BSB: The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 ARST But when he said this, she was confused. She had to try to understand what this greeting could mean. BSB BSB: Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 ARST Then the angel said to her,“God desires to bless you, Mary, so do not be afraid! BSB BSB: So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 ARST Now listen. You will become pregnant, and you will give birth to a son. Give him the name Jesus. BSB BSB: Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
32 ARST He will be great, and he will be the Son of God Most High. God the Lord will make him king over his people, just as his ancestor David was. BSB BSB: He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,
33 ARST He will always be the king over the people of Israel. He will rule over them forever!” BSB BSB: and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
35 ARST The angel replied,“The Holy Spirit will come upon you. The power of God Most High will be like a shadow falling on you. So the baby you give birth to will be holy. He will be the Son of God. BSB BSB: The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.
36 ARST Also listen to this. Your relative Elizabeth is also pregnant, and she is going to have a son. Because she is very old, people thought that she could not bear children. But she has been pregnant now for almost six months. BSB BSB: Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
37 ARST So you see, God can do anything!” BSB BSB: For no word from God will ever fail.”
39 ARST Very soon after that, Mary got ready and traveled as quickly as she could to the city where Zechariah lived, which was in the highlands of Judea. BSB BSB: In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
40 ARST She entered Zechariah’ s house and greeted Elizabeth, his wife. BSB BSB: where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 ARST As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary greet her, the baby inside Elizabeth suddenly moved. Immediately the Holy Spirit inspired Elizabeth to speak. BSB BSB: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 ARST She exclaimed loudly to Mary,“God has blessed you more than he has blessed any other woman, and he has blessed the baby you will bear! BSB BSB: In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 ARST I am not worthy of this, that you, the mother of my Lord, should come to visit me! BSB BSB: And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 ARST I know all of this because as soon as I heard you greet me, the baby in my womb started moving around because he was so excited! BSB BSB: For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 ARST You are blessed because you believed that what the Lord told you would come true.” BSB BSB: Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
47 ARST and I feel very joyful about God, the one who saves me! BSB BSB: and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
49 ARST They will say this because God, the Powerful and Holy One, has done great things for me. BSB BSB: For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
50 ARST He acts mercifully throughout all time periods to the people who revere him. BSB BSB: His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
51 ARST He has shown people that he is very powerful. He has routed those who think proudly within themselves. BSB BSB: He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 ARST He has made rulers stop ruling, but he has honored people who are lowly. BSB BSB: He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
53 ARST He has let people who were hungry eat good food until they were full, but he has sent rich people away without giving them anything. BSB BSB: He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
54 ARST He has helped Israel, the people who serve him. Long ago he promised our ancestors that he would be merciful to them. He has kept that promise and has always acted mercifully toward Abraham and all who descended from him.” BSB BSB: He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
56 ARST Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months. After that, she went back home. BSB BSB: Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
57 ARST When it was time for Elizabeth to give birth to her child, she bore a son. BSB BSB: When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
58 ARST When her neighbors and relatives heard about how kind the Lord had been to her by giving her a son, they were very happy along with Elizabeth. BSB BSB: Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59 ARST Eight days later, people gathered together for the ceremony to circumcise the baby{ to show that he belonged to God}.{ This was also the time to give the baby a name.} The people wanted to name the baby Zechariah because that was his father’ s name. BSB BSB: On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
60 ARST But his mother said,“No,{ his name will not be Zechariah.} His name will be John!” BSB BSB: But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
61 ARST So they said to her,“But John is not the name of any of your relatives!” BSB BSB: They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
62 ARST Then they made motions with their hands to his father, asking him to indicate what name he wanted to give to his son. BSB BSB: So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
63 ARST So he signaled that they should give him a tablet to write on.{ When they gave him one,} he wrote on it,“His name is John.” This amazed all of the people who were there! BSB BSB: Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 ARST Immediately, Zechariah was able to speak again, and he began praising God. BSB BSB: Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 ARST { When} the people who lived nearby{ heard about these things, they} felt a deep reverence for God.{ They told many other people about what had happened,} and this news spread to people throughout the highlands of Judea. BSB BSB: All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
66 ARST Everyone who heard about these things kept thinking about them. They thought,“Certainly this child will grow up to be someone very special!”{ They thought this} because{ they could see that} the Lord was present in his life in a powerful way. BSB BSB: And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
67 ARST After the child’ s father, Zechariah, could speak again, the Holy Spirit inspired Zechariah and he spoke these words from God: BSB BSB: Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 ARST “Praise the Lord, the God whom we people of Israel worship, because he has come to set us, his people, free. BSB BSB: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
69 ARST He has sent someone who will powerfully save us, someone who is descended from David, whom he chose to be king. BSB BSB: He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70 ARST (Long ago God inspired his prophets to say that he would do these things.) BSB BSB: as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
71 ARST { God is sending this deliverer} to save us from our enemies, and{ he will rescue us} from the power of everyone who hates us. BSB BSB: salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 ARST God has done this because he is faithful to our ancestors and so he is keeping the holy promise that he made to them. BSB BSB: to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 ARST This is the promise that he solemnly swore to our ancestor Abraham about what he would do for us. BSB BSB: the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 ARST He promised that he would rescue us from the power of our enemies so that we could serve him without being afraid of them. BSB BSB: deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
75 ARST As a result, we could live in the right way, as people who completely belong to him, for as long as we live.” BSB BSB: in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
76 ARST { Then Zechariah said to his baby son,}“And as for you, my child, you will be a prophet of the Most High God. You will begin your work before the Lord comes so that you can prepare the people to be ready for him. BSB BSB: And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for Him,
77 ARST You will tell God’ s people that he wants to save them by forgiving their sins. BSB BSB: to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 ARST God wants to save us because he is compassionate and merciful. That is why he is sending this Savior from heaven to help us. BSB BSB: because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
79 ARST This Savior will show the truth to those who do not know it, even to those who do not know it at all. He will show us how to live in a way that pleases God.” BSB BSB: to shine on those who live in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”
80 ARST Over time, Zechariah and Elizabeth’ s baby boy grew up and became spiritually strong. Then he went to live in a desolate region. He was still living there when he began to preach publicly to God’ s people, Israel. BSB BSB: And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.