Dedication to Theophilus (Acts 1:1–3)
2 CPDV just as they have been handed on to those of us who from the beginning saw the same and were ministers of the word, BSB BSB: just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3 CPDV so it seemed good to me also, having diligently followed everything from the beginning, to write to you, in an orderly manner, most excellent 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 CPDV so that you might know the truthfulness of those words by which you have been instructed. BSB BSB: so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Gabriel Foretells John’s Birth 6 CPDV Now they were both just before God, progressing in all of the commandments and the justifications of the Lord without blame. BSB BSB: Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
7 CPDV And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both had become advanced in years. BSB BSB: But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8 CPDV Then it happened that, when he was exercising the priesthood before God, in the order of his section, BSB BSB: One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9 CPDV according to the custom of the priesthood, the lot fell so that he would offer incense, entering into the temple of the Lord. 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 CPDV And the entire multitude of the people was praying outside, at the hour of incense. BSB BSB: And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11 CPDV Then there appeared to him an Angel of the Lord, standing at the right of the altar of incense. BSB BSB: Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 CPDV And upon seeing him, Zechariah was disturbed, and fear fell over him. BSB BSB: When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
13 CPDV But the Angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a son to you. And you shall call his 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 CPDV And there will be joy and exultation for you, and many will rejoice in his nativity. BSB BSB: He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15 CPDV For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 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 CPDV And he will convert many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God. BSB BSB: Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
18 CPDV And Zechariah said to the Angel: “How may I know this? For I am elderly, and my wife is advanced in years.” 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 CPDV And in response, the Angel said to him: “I am Gabriel, who stands before God, and I have been sent to speak to you, and to proclaim these things 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 CPDV And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak, until the day on which these things shall be, because you have not believed my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” 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 CPDV And the people were waiting for Zechariah. And they wondered why he was being delayed in the temple. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
22 CPDV Then, when he came out, he was unable to speak to them. And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he was making signs to them, but he remained mute. 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 CPDV And it happened that, after the days of his office were completed, he went away to his house. BSB BSB: And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
24 CPDV Then, after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she hid herself for five months, saying: BSB BSB: After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
25 CPDV “For the Lord did this for me, at the time when he decided to take away my reproach among men.” 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.”
Gabriel Foretells Jesus’ Birth 27 CPDV to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. 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 CPDV And upon entering, the Angel said to her: “Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.” BSB BSB: The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 CPDV And when she had heard this, she was disturbed by his words, and she considered what kind of greeting this might be. BSB BSB: Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30 CPDV And the Angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God. BSB BSB: So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 CPDV Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name: JESUS. BSB BSB: Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
32 CPDV He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. And he will reign in the house of Jacob for eternity. 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 CPDV And his kingdom shall have no end.” BSB BSB: and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
35 CPDV And in response, the Angel said to her: “The Holy Spirit will pass over you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And because of this also, the Holy One who will be born of you shall be called 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 CPDV And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has herself also conceived a son, in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren. 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 CPDV For no word will be impossible with God.” BSB BSB: For no word from God will ever fail.”
Mary Visits Elizabeth 39 CPDV And in those days, Mary, rising up, traveled quickly into the hill country, to a city of Judah. BSB BSB: In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
40 CPDV And she entered into the house of Zechariah, and she greeted Elizabeth. BSB BSB: where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 CPDV And it happened that, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. BSB BSB: When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 CPDV And she cried out with a loud voice and said: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. BSB BSB: In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 CPDV And how does this concern me, so that the mother of my Lord would come to me? BSB BSB: And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 CPDV For behold, as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. BSB BSB: For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45 CPDV And blessed are you who believed, for the things that were spoken to you by the Lord shall be accomplished.” BSB BSB: Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
Mary’s Song (1 Samuel 2:1–11)
47 CPDV And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Savior. BSB BSB: and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
49 CPDV For he who is great has done great things for me, and holy is his name. BSB BSB: For the Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name.
50 CPDV And his mercy is from generation to generations for those who fear him. BSB BSB: His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.
51 CPDV He has accomplished powerful deeds with his arm. He has scattered the arrogant in the intentions of their heart. BSB BSB: He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 CPDV He has deposed the powerful from their seat, and he has exalted the humble. BSB BSB: He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble.
53 CPDV He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. BSB BSB: He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty.
54 CPDV He has taken up his servant Israel, mindful of his mercy, BSB BSB: He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful,
55 CPDV just as he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” BSB BSB: as He promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
56 CPDV Then Mary stayed with her for about three months. And she returned to her own house. BSB BSB: Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
The Birth of John the Baptist 57 CPDV Now the time for Elizabeth to give birth arrived, and she brought forth a son. BSB BSB: When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
58 CPDV And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and so they congratulated her. BSB BSB: Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59 CPDV And it happened that, on the eighth day, they arrived to circumcise the boy, and they called him by his father’s name, Zechariah. BSB BSB: On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
60 CPDV And in response, his mother said: “Not so. Instead, he shall be called John.” BSB BSB: But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
61 CPDV And they said to her, “But there is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” BSB BSB: They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
62 CPDV Then they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him to be called. BSB BSB: So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
63 CPDV And requesting a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: “His name is John.” And they all wondered. BSB BSB: Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64 CPDV Then, at once, his mouth was opened, and his tongue loosened, and he spoke, blessing God. BSB BSB: Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
65 CPDV And fear fell upon all of their neighbors. And all these words were made known throughout all the hill country 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 CPDV And all those who heard it stored it up in their heart, saying: “What do you think this boy will be?” And indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. 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.
Zechariah’s Song 67 CPDV And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. And he prophesied, saying: BSB BSB: Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 CPDV “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel. For he has visited and has wrought the redemption of his people. BSB BSB: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has visited and redeemed His people.
69 CPDV And he has raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant, BSB BSB: He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David,
70 CPDV just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets, who are from ages past: BSB BSB: as He spoke through His holy prophets, those of ages past,
71 CPDV salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all those who hate us, BSB BSB: salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,
72 CPDV to accomplish mercy with our fathers, and to call to mind his holy testament, BSB BSB: to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
73 CPDV the oath, which he swore to Abraham, our father, that he would grant to us, BSB BSB: the oath He swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
74 CPDV so that, having been freed from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear, BSB BSB: deliverance from hostile hands, that we may serve Him without fear,
75 CPDV in holiness and in justice before him, throughout all our days. BSB BSB: in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.
76 CPDV And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will go before the face of the Lord: to prepare his ways, 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 CPDV to give knowledge of salvation to his people for the remission of their sins, BSB BSB: to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 CPDV through the heart of the mercy of our God, by which, descending from on high, he has visited us, BSB BSB: because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
79 CPDV to illuminate those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to direct our feet in the way of peace.” 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 CPDV And the child grew, and he was strengthened in spirit. And he was in the wilderness, until the day of his manifestation to 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.