1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. 26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named 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. 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. 34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. 37 For with God nothing shall be impossible. 38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. 39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; 40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: 42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. 46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, 47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. 53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. 54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; 55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. 56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. 57 Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon 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 Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. 61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; 70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 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; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

1 Aangesien baie onderneem het om 'n verhaal op te stel oor die dinge wat onder ons al vervul is,

2 soos hulle wat van die begin af ooggetuies en dienaars van die Woord was, dit aan ons oorgelewer het,

3 het ek ook dit goedgedink, hooggeagte Theofilus, nadat ek van voor af alles noukeurig ondersoek het, om dit in volgorde aan u te skrywe,

4 sodat u met volle sekerheid kan weet die dinge waaromtrent u onderrig is.

5 Daar was in die dae van Herodes, koning van Jud,a, 'n sekere priester met die naam van Sagar¡a, uit die afdeling van Ab¡a; en sy vrou was uit die dogters van A„ron, en haar naam was Elisabet.

6 En hulle was altwee regverdig voor God en het in al die gebooie en regte van die Here onberispelik gewandel.

7 En hulle het geen kind gehad nie, omdat Elisabet onvrugbaar was en albei op ver gevorderde leeftyd.

8 En terwyl hy besig was om die priesteramp voor God te bedien in die beurt van sy afdeling,

9 het die lot volgens priesterlike gewoonte op hom geval om in te gaan in die tempel van die Here en reukwerk te brand.

10 En die hele menigte van die volk was buite, besig om te bid op die uur van die reukoffer.

11 Toe verskyn daar aan hom 'n engel van die Here, wat aan die regterkant van die reukofferaltaar staan.

12 En toe Sagar¡a hom sien, was hy ontsteld, en vrees het hom oorval.

13 Maar die engel sê vir hom: Moenie vrees nie, Sagar¡a, want jou gebed is verhoor, en jou vrou Elisabet sal vir jou 'n seun baar, en jy moet hom Johannes noem.

14 En hy sal blydskap en verheuging vir jou wees, en baie sal oor sy geboorte bly wees;

15 want hy sal groot wees voor die Here. En wyn en sterk drank sal hy nooit drink nie, en hy sal vervul word met die Heilige Gees reeds van die skoot van sy moeder af.

16 En hy sal baie van die kinders van Israel bekeer tot die Here hulle God.

17 En hy sal voor Hom uit gaan in die gees en die krag van El¡a, om die harte van die vaders terug te bring tot die kinders en die ongehoorsames tot die gesindheid van die regverdiges, om vir die Here 'n toegeruste volk te berei.

18 Toe sê Sagar¡a vir die engel: Waaraan sal ek dit weet? Want ek is 'n ou man, en my vrou is op ver gevorderde leeftyd.

19 En die engel antwoord en sê vir hom: Ek is Gabriël wat voor God staan, en ek is gestuur om met jou te spreek en jou hierdie goeie tyding te bring.

20 En kyk, jy sal swyg en nie kan praat nie tot op die dag dat hierdie dinge gebeur, omdat jy my woorde wat op hulle tyd vervul sal word, nie geglo het nie.

21 En die volk het op Sagar¡a bly wag en was verwonderd dat hy so lank in die tempel vertoef.

22 Maar toe hy uitkom, kon hy met hulle nie praat nie; hulle bemerk toe dat hy 'n gesig in die tempel gesien het. En hy het aanhoudend vir hulle beduie en stom gebly.

23 En toe die dae van sy diens vervul was, het hy huis toe gegaan.

24 En n hierdie dae het Elisabet, sy vrou, ontvang en haar vyf maande lank verberg en gesê:

25 So het die Here met my gedoen in die dae toe Hy my aangesien het om my smaad onder die mense weg te neem.

26 En in die sesde maand is die engel Gabriël deur God gestuur na 'n stad in Galil,a met die naam van N saret,

27 na 'n maagd wat verloof was aan 'n man met die naam van Josef, uit die huis van Dawid; en die naam van die maagd was Maria.

28 En die engel het by haar binnegekom en gesê: Wees gegroet, begenadigde! Die Here is met jou; geseënd is jy onder die vroue.

29 En toe sy hom sien, was sy baie ontsteld oor sy woord, en sy het daaroor nagedink wat hierdie groet tog kon beteken.

30 En die engel sê vir haar: Moenie vrees nie, Maria, want jy het genade by God gevind.

31 En kyk, jy sal swanger word en 'n Seun baar, en jy moet Hom Jesus noem.

32 Hy sal groot wees en die Seun van die Allerhoogste genoem word; en die Here God sal aan Hom die troon van sy vader Dawid gee,

33 en Hy sal koning wees oor die huis van Jakob tot in ewigheid, en aan sy koninkryk sal daar geen einde wees nie.

34 Toe sê Maria vir die engel: Hoe kan dit wees aangesien ek geen man het nie?

35 En die engel antwoord en sê vir haar: Die Heilige Gees sal oor jou kom en die krag van die Allerhoogste sal jou oorskadu. Daarom ook sal die Heilige wat gebore word, Seun van God genoem word.

36 En kyk, Elisabet, jou bloedverwant, het self ook 'n seun ontvang in haar ouderdom, en hierdie maand is die sesde vir haar wat onvrugbaar genoem is.

37 Want geen ding sal by God onmoontlik wees nie.

38 En Maria sê: Hier is die diensmaagd van die Here. Laat dit met my gaan volgens u woord. En die engel het van haar weggegaan.

39 En in daardie dae het Maria opgestaan en haastig na die bergstreek gegaan, na 'n stad van Juda;

40 en sy het in die huis van Sagar¡a gekom en Elisabet gegroet.

41 En toe Elisabet die groet van Maria hoor, het die kindjie in haar skoot opgespring; en Elisabet is vervul met die Heilige Gees

42 en het met 'n groot stem uitgeroep en gesê: Geseënd is jy onder die vroue, en geseënd is die vrug van jou skoot!

43 En wat het my oorgekom dat die moeder van my Here na my toe kom?

44 Want kyk, toe die geluid van jou groet in my ore klink, het die kindjie in my skoot van vreugde opgespring.

45 En salig is sy wat geglo het, want die dinge wat deur die Here aan haar gesê is, sal vervul word.

46 En Maria het gesê: My siel maak die Here groot,

47 en my gees is verheug in God, my Saligmaker;

48 omdat Hy die nederige toestand van sy diensmaagd aangesien het; want kyk, van nou af sal al die geslagte my salig noem.

49 Want Hy wat magtig is, het groot dinge aan my gedoen, en heilig is sy Naam.

50 En sy barmhartigheid is van geslag tot geslag vir die wat Hom vrees.

51 Hy het deur sy arm kragtige dade gedoen. Hoogmoediges in die gedagtes van hulle hart het Hy verstrooi.

52 Maghebbers het Hy van trone afgeruk en nederiges verhoog.

53 Hongeriges het Hy met goeie dinge vervul en rykes met leë hande weggestuur.

54 Hy het sy kneg Israel bygestaan, sodat Hy aan sy barmhartigheid sou dink

55 soos Hy tot ons vaders gespreek het -- aan Abraham en sy nageslag tot in ewigheid.

56 En Maria het by haar omtrent drie maande gebly; en sy het teruggegaan na haar huis toe.

57 En die tyd dat sy moeder moes word, is vir Elisabet vervul, en sy het 'n seun gebaar.

58 En toe haar bure en bloedverwante hoor dat die Here sy barmhartigheid aan haar groot gemaak het, was hulle saam met haar bly.

59 En op die agtste dag het hulle gekom om die kindjie te besny, en hulle wou hom Sagar¡a noem, na die naam van sy vader.

60 Toe antwoord sy moeder en sê: Nee, maar hy moet Johannes genoem word.

61 En hulle sê vir haar: Daar is niemand in jou familie wat die naam het nie.

62 En hulle beduie vir sy vader hoe hy wou hê dat hy genoem moes word.

63 Hy vra toe 'n skryfbordjie en skryf: Johannes is sy naam. En almal was verwonderd.

64 En onmiddellik is sy mond geopen en het sy tong losgeraak, en hy het gepraat en God geloof.

65 En daar het vrees gekom oor almal wat rondom hulle gewoon het, en daar is baie gepraat oor al hierdie dinge in die hele bergstreek van Jud,a.

66 En almal wat dit gehoor het, het dit ter harte geneem en gesê: Wat sal tog van hierdie kindjie word? En die hand van die Here was met hom.

67 En Sagar¡a, sy vader, is vervul met die Heilige Gees en het geprofeteer en gesê:

68 Geloofd sy die Here, die God van Israel, omdat Hy sy volk besoek het en vir hulle verlossing teweeggebring het,

69 en 'n horing van heil vir ons opgerig het in die huis van Dawid, sy kneg --

70 soos Hy gespreek het deur die mond van sy heilige profete van ouds af --

71 redding van ons vyande en uit die hand van almal wat vir ons haat,

72 om barmhartigheid te bewys aan ons vaders en aan sy heilige verbond te dink,

73 aan die eed wat Hy gesweer het vir Abraham, ons vader, om aan ons te gee

74 dat ons, verlos uit die hand van ons vyande, Hom sonder vrees kan dien,

75 in heiligheid en geregtigheid voor Hom, al die dae van ons lewe.

76 En jy, kindjie, sal 'n profeet van die Allerhoogste genoem word, want jy sal voor die aangesig van die Here uitgaan om sy weë reg te maak;

77 om kennis van saligheid aan sy volk te gee in die vergifnis van hulle sondes,

78 deur die innige barmhartigheid van onse God waarmee die opgaande Lig uit die hoogte ons besoek het,

79 om te skyn oor die wat in duisternis en doodskaduwee sit, om ons voete na die pad van vrede te rig.

80 En die kindjie het gegroei en sterk geword in die Gees; en hy was in die woestyne tot op die dag van sy vertoning aan Israel.