ORASMUCH as many have the temple of the Lord. FOR taken in hand to set forth 10 And the whole multitude in order a declaration of those of the people were praying withthings which are most surely out, at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto 2 Even as they delivered him an angel of the Lord, standthem unto us, which from the ing on the right side of the altar beginning were eye-witnesses, of incense. believed among us, and ministers of the word; 12 And when Zacharias saw 3 It seemed good to me also, him, he was troubled, and fear having had perfect understand- fell upon him. ing of all things from the very 13 But the angel said unto first, to write unto thee in order, him, Fear not, Zacharias: for most excellent Theophilus, thy prayer is heard; and thy 4 That thou mightest know wife Elisabeth shall bear thee the certainty of those things a son, and thou shalt call his wherein thou hast been in-name John. structed. 14 And thou shalt have joy 5 Tuff HERE was in the days and gladness, and many shall of Herod the king of rejoice at his birth. Judea, a certain priest named 15 For he shall be great in Zacharias, of the course of the sight of the Lord, and shall Abia and his wife was of the drink neither wine nor strong daughters of Aaron, and her drink; and he shall be filled name was Elisabeth. with the Holy Ghost, even from 6 And they were both right-his mother's womb. eous before God, walking in all 16 And many of the children the commandments and ordi- of Israel shall he turn to the nances of the Lord blameless. Lord their God. 7 And they had no child, be- 17 And he shall go before cause that Elisabeth was barren; him in the spirit and power of and they both were now well Elias, to turn the hearts of the stricken in years. fathers to the children, and the 8 And it came to pass, that, disobedient to the wisdom of the while he executed the priest's just; to make ready a people office before God in the order prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto 9 According to the custom of the angel, Whereby shall I know of his course, LUKE, The salutation of Mary by the angel Gabriel : this? for I am an old man, and unto her, and said, Hail, thou my wife well stricken in years. that art highly favoured, the 19 And the angel answering, Lord is with thee: blessed art said unto him, I am Gabriel, thou among women. that stand in the presence of 29 And when she saw him, God; and am sent to speak unto she was troubled at his saying, thee, and to shew thee these and cast in her mind what manglad tidings. ner of salutation this should be. 20 And behold, thou shalt be 30 And the angel said unto dumb, and not able to speak, her, Fear not, Mary: for thou until the day that these things hast found favour with God. shall be performed, because thou 31 And behold, thou shalt believest not my words, which conceive in thy womb, and shall be fulfilled in their season. bring forth a son, and shalt call 21 And the people waited for his name JESUS. Zacharias, and marvelled that 32 He shall be great, and he tarried so long in the temple. shall be called the Son of the 22 And when he came out, Highest; and the Lord God he could not speak unto them: shall give unto him the throne of and they perceived that he had his father David. seen a vision in the temple; for 33 And he shall reign over he beckoned unto them, and the house of Jacob for ever; remained speechless. and of his kingdom there shall 23 And it came to pass, that be no end. as soon as the days of his mini- 34 Then said Mary unto the stration were accomplished, he angel, How shall this be, seeing departed to his own house. I know not a man? 24 And after those days his 35 And the angel answered wife Elisabeth conceived, and and said unto her, The Holy hid herself five months, saying, Ghost shall come upon thee, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt and the power of the Highest with me in the days wherein he shall overshadow thee: therelooked on me, to take away my fore also that holy thing which reproach among men. shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. 36 And behold, thy cousin 26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, Elisabeth, she hath also connamed Nazareth, ceived a son in her old age; and 27 To a virgin espoused to a this is the sixth month with her man whose name was Joseph, who was called barren : of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 28 And the angel came in 38 And Mary said, Behold CHAP. I. Her song of thanksgiving. Birth of John Baptist. the handmaid of the Lord, be it 50 And his mercy is on them unto me according to thy word. that fear him, from generation And the angel departed from her. to generation. 39 And Mary arose in those 51 He hath shewed strength days, and went into the hill- with his arm; he hath scattered country with haste, into a city the proud in the imagination of of Juda, their hearts. 40 And entered into the house 52 He hath put down the of Zacharias, and saluted Eli- mighty from their seats, and exsabeth. alted them of low degree. 41 And it came to pass, that 53 He hath filled the hungry when Elisabeth heard the salu- with good things, and the rich tation of Mary, the babe leaped he hath sent empty away. in her womb: and Elisabeth 54 He hath holpen his servant was filled with the Holy Ghost. Israel, in remembrance of his 42 And she spake out with a mercy; loud voice and said, Blessed art 55 As he spake to our fathers, thou among women, and blessed to Abraham, and to his seed, is the fruit of thy womb. for ever. 43 And whence is this to me, 56 And Mary abode with her that the mother of my Lord about three months, and reshould come to me? turned to her own house. 44 For lo, as soon as the 57 Now Elisabeth's full time voice of thy salutation sounded came that she should be deliverin mine ears, the babe leaped ed; and she brought forth a son. in my womb for joy. 58 And her neighbours and 45 And blessed is she that her cousins heard how the Lord believed: for there shall be a had shewed great mercy upon performance of those things her; and they rejoiced with her. which were told her from the 59 And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to Lord. 46 And Mary said, My soul circumcise the child; and they doth magnify the Lord, called him Zacharias, after the 47 And my spirit hath re-name of his father. joiced in God my Saviour. 60 And his mother answered 48 For he hath regarded the and said, Not so; but he shall low estate of his handmaiden: be called John. for behold, from henceforth 61 And they said unto her, all generations shall call me There is none of thy kindred blessed. that is called by this name. 49 For he that is mighty hath 62 And they made signs to done to me great things; and his father, how he would have holy is his name. him called. LUKE, The prophecy of Zacharias at the birth of John. 63 And he asked for a writing-ness before him, all the days of table, and wrote, saying, His our life. name is John. And they mar- 76 And thou, child, shalt be velled all. called the Prophet of the High64 And his mouth was open- est, for thou shalt go before the ed immediately, and his tongue face of the Lord to prepare his loosed, and he spake, and praised ways; God. 77 To give knowledge of sal65 And fear came on all that vation unto his people, by the dwelt round about them: and remission of their sins, all these sayings were noised 78 Through the tender mercy abroad throughout all the hill- of our God; whereby the daycountry of Judea. spring from on high hath visited 66 And all they that heard us, them, laid them up in their hearts, 79 To give light to them that saying, What manner of child sit in darkness and in the shadow shall this be! And the hand of of death, to guide our feet into the Lord was with him. the way of peace. 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his 68 Blessed be the Lord God shewing unto Israel. of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up a horn of his servant David : CHAP. II. The Roman empire taxed. of salvation for us, in the hoor AND it came to pass in those house days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that 70 As he spake by the mouth all the world should be taxed. of his holy prophets, which have 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) been since the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to from Galilee, out of the city of remember his holy covenant'; Nazareth, into Judea, unto the 73 The oath which he sware city of David, which is called to our father Abraham, Bethlehem, (because he was of 74 That he would grant unto the house and lineage of David,) us, that we, being delivered out 5 To be taxed with Mary his of the hand of our enemies, espoused wife, being great with might serve him without fear, child. 75 In holiness and righteous 6 And so it was, that while The birth and CHAP. II. circumcision of Christ. they were there, the days were 16 And they came with haste, accomplished that she should and found Mary and Joseph, be delivered. and the babe lying in a manger. 7 And she brought forth her 17 And when they had seen first-born son, and wrapped him it, they made known abroad the in swaddling-clothes, and laid saying which was told them him in a manger; because there concerning this child. was no room for them in the inn. 18 And all they that heard it, 8 And there were in the same wondered at those things which country shepherds abiding in were told them by the shepthe field, keeping watch over herds. their flock by night. 19 But Mary kept all these 9 And lo, the angel of the things, and pondered them in her Lord came upon them, and the heart. glory of the Lord shone round 20 And the shepherds returnabout them; and they were sore ed, glorifying and praising God afraid. for all the things that they had 10 And the angel said unto heard and seen, as it was told them, Fear not: for behold, I unto them. bring you good tidings of great 21 And when eight days were joy, which shall be to all people. accomplished for the circum11 For unto you is born this cising of the child, his name day, in the city of David, a Sa- was called JESUS, which was viour, which is Christ the Lord. so named of the angel before he 12 And this shall be a sign was conceived in the womb. unto you; Ye shall find the babe 22 And when the days of her wrapped in swaddling-clothes, purification according to the law lying in a manger. of Moses were accomplished, 13 And suddenly there was they brought him to Jerusalem, with the angel a multitude of to present him to the Lord; the heavenly host praising God, 23 (As it is written in the law and saying, of the Lord, Every male that 14 Glory to God in the high- openeth the womb shall be callest, and on earth peace, good ed holy to the Lord;) will toward men. 24 And to offer a sacrifice 15 And it came to pass, as the according to that which is said angels were gone away from in the law of the Lord, A pair them into heaven, the shepherds of turtle-doves, or two young said one to another, Let us now pigeons. go even unto Bethlehem, and 25 And behold, there was a see this thing which is come to man in Jerusalem, whose name pass, which the Lord hath made was Simeon; and the same man known unto us. was just and devout, waiting for |