2 CMNFEB 他们所记录的证据，来自最早见证和传递上帝讯息之人。 BSB BSB: just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 CMNFEB 由于我从始至终都参与其中，所以应该可以准确无误地撰写所发生的一切。 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 CMNFEB 敬爱的提阿非罗们，我之所以这么做，是为了让你们确认自己所学之道完全值得信赖。 BSB BSB: so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
6 CMNFEB 他们的一举一动都遵循上帝正道，严格遵守主所立下的一切诫命规条。 BSB BSB: Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
7 CMNFEB 但他们没有孩子，因为以利沙伯无法生育，而且二人都年岁已高。 BSB BSB: But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8 CMNFEB 有一天，撒迦利亚按照排班的时间履行作为上帝祭司的职责， BSB BSB: One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 CMNFEB 照惯例抽签后，他被选中进入主的圣殿上香。 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 CMNFEB 在烧香的过程，众人都在外面祈祷。 BSB BSB: And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11 CMNFEB 这时天使向撒迦利亚显现，立于香坛的右侧。 BSB BSB: Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 CMNFEB 撒迦利亚见状颇感惊慌，非常害怕。 BSB BSB: When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
13 CMNFEB 天使说：“撒迦利亚，别害怕，上帝听到了你的祈求。你妻子以利沙伯将为你生下一子，你将为他起名为约翰。 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 CMNFEB 这孩子会为你带来欢喜和快乐，许多人都会来庆祝他的降生。 BSB BSB: He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 CMNFEB 他将成为主面前的尊者。他将拒绝喝葡萄酒或其他酒精饮料。在他出生之前就被圣灵充满。 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 CMNFEB 他将带领众多以色列人，回到主、也就是他们的上帝身边。 BSB BSB: Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
18 CMNFEB 撒迦利亚问天使：“我要如何相信这一切？我老了，我妻子也是一把年纪。” 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 CMNFEB 天使回答：“我是上帝面前的加百列，奉命向你传话，告诉你这个好消息。 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 CMNFEB 但你并不相信我所说的一切，所以你会失语，直到我所言之事成真，你才能开口说话。” 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 CMNFEB 众人正在外面等候撒迦利亚，见他迟迟未从圣殿出来，很是奇怪。 BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
22 CMNFEB 但他出来时却真的失语了，无法讲话，只能打手势。于是众人意识到刚才在圣殿中出现了神迹。 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 CMNFEB 他完成自己的职责后便回了家。 BSB BSB: And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
24 CMNFEB 几天后，他妻子以利沙伯果真怀孕，在家中待了五个月。 BSB BSB: After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
25 CMNFEB 她说：“这一切是主的旨意，他这样待我，便是要让我不再在世人面前感到羞辱。” 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 CMNFEB 玛利亚当时已与一位名叫约瑟的男人订婚。 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 CMNFEB 天使向她问候，然后对她说“你很幸运，主与你同在。” BSB BSB: The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 CMNFEB 玛利亚对此颇感困惑，不知道这问候到底意味着什么。 BSB BSB: Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 CMNFEB 天使说：“玛利亚，不要怕！因为上帝已对你施以恩典。 BSB BSB: So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 CMNFEB 你将怀孕生子，那婴儿将起名叫耶稣。 BSB BSB: Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
32 CMNFEB 他将成为一位伟人，被称为至高上帝之子，上帝将把向其赐予祖先大卫的王位， 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 CMNFEB 他将永远统治雅各的家园，他的王国将永续存在。” BSB BSB: and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
35 CMNFEB 天使回答：“圣灵将降临于你，至高上帝将笼罩于你。那即将诞下的婴儿生而神圣，将被称为上帝之子。 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 CMNFEB 甚至连你的亲戚以利沙伯都怀孕了，人们说那女人无法生育，现在怀胎已有六个月。 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 CMNFEB 对于上帝而言，一切皆有可能。” BSB BSB: For no word from God will ever fail.”
39 CMNFEB 稍后，玛利亚准备了一下便急忙赶去犹太山地的一座城市， BSB BSB: In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
40 CMNFEB 来到撒迦利亚的家。她走进屋向以利沙伯问安。 BSB BSB: where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 CMNFEB 听见玛利亚的问候，以利沙伯腹中的婴儿立刻开始跳动，表达着喜悦。圣灵注入了以利沙伯的体内， BSB BSB: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 CMNFEB 于是她高声说：“你是一位如此有福的女人，你腹中的婴儿能由你诞下，也是一种福气！ BSB BSB: In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 CMNFEB 我太荣幸了，我主之母能够造访我的寒舍。 BSB BSB: And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 CMNFEB 听到你问候的那一刻，我腹中的婴儿就欢喜跳跃。 BSB BSB: For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 CMNFEB 你真荣幸，因为你已确信，主将把对你的承诺变为现实！” BSB BSB: Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
47 CMNFEB 上帝救世主让我如此欢喜， BSB BSB: and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
49 CMNFEB 全能上帝对我做出伟大之举，他的名字如此神圣。 BSB BSB: For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
50 CMNFEB 他的怜悯将在尊敬他的世界中传递。 BSB BSB: His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
51 CMNFEB 他凭借其力量，击败了那些自作聪明之人。 BSB BSB: He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 CMNFEB 他能够让位高权重之人跌落王位，让谦卑之人获得升华， BSB BSB: He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
53 CMNFEB 他让饥肠辘辘之人饱餐美食，也让富足之人两手空空。 BSB BSB: He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
54 CMNFEB 在他的帮助下，他的仆人以色列将永记他的怜悯， BSB BSB: He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
55 CMNFEB 正如他向我们先父、亚伯拉罕及其后裔所做的承诺。” BSB BSB: as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
56 CMNFEB 玛利亚和以利沙伯同住了三个月，然后便返回自己的家。 BSB BSB: Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
57 CMNFEB 以利沙伯终于诞下一名男婴。 BSB BSB: When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
58 CMNFEB 邻居和亲戚们得知主向她施以如此善意，便和她一同庆祝。 BSB BSB: Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59 CMNFEB 到了第八天，他们前来为孩子行割礼，打算让他随父亲的名字叫撒迦利亚。 BSB BSB: On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
60 CMNFEB 但以利沙伯说：“不要，他应该叫做约翰。” BSB BSB: But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
61 CMNFEB 众人回答：“但你的亲戚中并没有这样的名字。” BSB BSB: They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
62 CMNFEB 他们通过手势询问孩子的父亲撒迦利亚，询问他的意见。 BSB BSB: So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
63 CMNFEB 撒迦利亚示意要写字。令众人诧异的是，他写下的是：“他就叫约翰。” BSB BSB: Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 CMNFEB 忽然他再次开口说话了，开始赞美上帝。 BSB BSB: Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 CMNFEB 这一切让住在周围的人心生敬畏，这个消息很快就传遍整个犹太山地。 BSB BSB: All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
66 CMNFEB 众人听闻此事便思量它的含义：“这孩子将会成为怎样的人？”因为很显然，他对上帝而言非常特别。 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 CMNFEB 婴儿的父亲撒迦利亚体内充满了圣灵，他预言道： BSB BSB: Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 CMNFEB “主就是以色列的上帝，他如此伟大，因为他降临到子民之中，为其赋予自由， BSB BSB: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
69 CMNFEB 他向其仆人大卫的家族赐予伟大的救赎， BSB BSB: He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70 CMNFEB 正如他自古以来借由其神圣先知所传达的预言。 BSB BSB: as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
71 CMNFEB 他承诺拯救我们摆脱敌人，远离那些憎恨我们的人。 BSB BSB: salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 CMNFEB 他怜悯我们的祖先，记得他的圣约， BSB BSB: to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 CMNFEB 那是他向我们的祖先亚伯拉罕所发誓言。 BSB BSB: the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 CMNFEB 他让我们摆脱恐惧，从敌人手中拯救我们， BSB BSB: deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
75 CMNFEB 这让我们可以毕生遵循正道并服侍于他。 BSB BSB: in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
76 CMNFEB 尽管你现在只是一个婴儿，但却会被称为至高上帝的先知，因你将先于主之前，为他铺好道路， 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 CMNFEB 通过宽恕其子民的罪，传播救赎的讯息。 BSB BSB: to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 CMNFEB 蒙上帝对我们的关爱怜悯，天堂的黎明将降临照耀我们， BSB BSB: because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
79 CMNFEB 照亮那些活在黑暗中、笼罩在死亡阴影中的人，引导我们走上平安之路。” 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 CMNFEB 这个叫做约翰的男孩逐渐长大，精神上的变得很强大。他一直住在荒野之中，等待在以色列人中公开露面的时机。 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.