Luke Writes an Orderly Report

1 Many people have attempted to write about the things that have taken place among us. 2Reports of these things were handed down to us. There were people who saw these things for themselves from the beginning and then passed the word on.

3I myself have carefully looked into everything from the beginning. So it seemed good also to me to write down an orderly report of exactly what happened. I am doing this for you, most excellent Theophilus. 4I want you to know that the things you have been taught are true.

The Coming Birth of John the Baptist

5Herod was king of Judea. During the time he was ruling, there was a priest named Zechariah. He belonged to a group of priests named after Abijah. His wife Elizabeth also came from the family line of Aaron. 6Both of them did what was right in God’s eyes. They obeyed all the Lord’s commandments and rules faithfully. 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was not able to have any. And they were both very old.

8One day Zechariah’s group was on duty. He was serving as a priest in God’s temple. 9He happened to be chosen, in the usual way, to go into the temple of the Lord. There he was supposed to burn incense. 10The time came for this to be done. All who had gathered to worship were praying outside.

11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah. The angel was standing at the right side of the incense altar. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was amazed and terrified.

13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will have a child. It will be a boy, and you must name him John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you. His birth will make many people very glad. 15He will be important in the Lord’s eyes.

“He must never use wine or other such drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the time he is born. 16He will bring many of Israel’s people back to the Lord their God. 17And he will prepare the way for the Lord. He will have the same spirit and power that Elijah had. He will teach parents how to love their children. He will also teach people who don’t obey to be wise and do what is right. In this way, he will prepare a people who are ready for the Lord.”

18Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man, and my wife is old too.”

19The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I serve God. I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will have to be silent. You will not be able to speak until after John is born. That’s because you did not believe my words. They will come true when the time is right.”

21During that time, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out. They wondered why he stayed in the temple so long. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple. They knew this because he kept motioning to them. He still could not speak.

23When his time of service was over, he returned home. 24After that, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. She stayed at home for five months. 25“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days, he has been kind to me. He has taken away my shame among the people.”

The Coming Birth of Jesus

26In the sixth month after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee. 27He was sent to a virgin. The girl was engaged to a man named Joseph. He came from the family line of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel greeted her and said, “The Lord has given you special favor. He is with you.”

29Mary was very upset because of his words. She wondered what kind of greeting this could be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary. God is very pleased with you. 31You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You must name him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king like his father David of long ago. 33He will rule forever over his people, who came from Jacob’s family. His kingdom will never end.”

34“How can this happen?” Mary asked the angel. “I am a virgin.”

35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come to you. The power of the Most High God will cover you. So the holy one that is born will be called the Son of God. 36Your relative Elizabeth is old. And even she is going to have a child. People thought she could not have children. But she has been pregnant for six months now. 37Nothing is impossible with God.”

38“I serve the Lord,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me just as you said it would.” Then the angel left her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in Judea’s hill country. 40There she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby inside her jumped. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she called out, “God has blessed you more than other women. And blessed is the child you will have! 43But why is God so kind to me? Why has the mother of my Lord come to me? 44As soon as I heard the sound of your voice, the baby inside me jumped for joy. 45You are a woman God has blessed. You have believed that what the Lord has said to you will be done!”

Mary’s Song

46Mary said,

“My soul gives glory to the Lord.

47 My spirit delights in God my Savior.

48 He has taken note of me

even though I am not important.

From now on all people will call me blessed.

49 The Mighty One has done great things for me.

His name is holy.

50 He shows his mercy to those who have respect for him,

from parent to child down through the years.

51 He has done mighty things with his arm.

He has scattered those who are proud in their deepest thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones.

But he has lifted up people who are not important.

53 He has filled those who are hungry with good things.

But he has sent those who are rich away empty.

54 He has helped the people of Israel, who serve him.

He has always remembered to be kind

55 to Abraham and his children down through the years.

He has done it just as he said to our people of long ago.”

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she returned home.

John the Baptist Is Born

57The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby. She gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her. They shared her joy.

59On the eighth day, they came to have the child circumcised. They were going to name him Zechariah, like his father. 60But his mother spoke up. “No!” she said. “He must be called John.”

61They said to her, “No one among your relatives has that name.”

62Then they motioned to his father. They wanted to find out what he would like to name the child. 63He asked for something to write on. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.

64Right away Zechariah could speak again. His first words gave praise to God. 65The neighbors were all filled with fear and wonder. All through Judea’s hill country, people were talking about all these things. 66Everyone who heard this wondered about it. And because the Lord was with John, they asked, “What is this child going to be?”

Zechariah’s Song

67His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit. He prophesied,

68 “Give praise to the Lord, the God of Israel!

He has come and set his people free.

69 He has acted with great power and has saved us.

He did it for those who are from the family line of his servant David.

70 Long ago holy prophets said he would do it.

71 He has saved us from our enemies.

We are rescued from all who hate us.

72 He has been kind to our people.

He has remembered his holy covenant.

73 He made an oath to our father Abraham.

74 He promised to save us from our enemies,

so that we could serve him without fear.

75 He wants us to be holy and godly as long as we live.

76 “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God.

You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare the way for him.

77 You will tell his people how they can be saved.

You will tell them that their sins can be forgiven.

78 All of that will happen because our God is tender and caring.

His kindness will bring the rising sun to us from heaven.

79 It will shine on those living in darkness

and in the shadow of death.

It will guide our feet on the path of peace.”

80The child grew up, and his spirit became strong. He lived in the desert until he appeared openly to Israel.

Jesus Is Born

2 In those days, Caesar Augustus made a law. It required that a list be made of everyone in the whole Roman world. 2It was the first time a list was made of the people while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3All went to their own towns to be listed.

4So Joseph went also. He went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea. That is where Bethlehem, the town of David, was. Joseph went there because he belonged to the family line of David. 5He went there with Mary to be listed. Mary was engaged to him. She was expecting a baby.

6While Joseph and Mary were there, the time came for the child to be born. 7She gave birth to her first baby. It was a boy. She wrapped him in large strips of cloth. Then she placed him in a manger. There was no room for them in the inn.

Angels Appear to the Shepherds

8There were shepherds living out in the fields nearby. It was night, and they were looking after their sheep. 9An angel of the Lord appeared to them. And the glory of the Lord shone around them. They were terrified.

10But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. It is for all the people. 11Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. 12Here is how you will know I am telling you the truth. You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”

13Suddenly a large group of angels from heaven also appeared. They were praising God. They said,

14 “May glory be given to God in the highest heaven!

And may peace be given to those he is pleased with on earth!”

15The angels left and went into heaven. Then the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem. Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph and the baby. The baby was lying in the manger. 17After the shepherds had seen him, they told everyone. They reported what the angel had said about this child. 18All who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

19But Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. She thought about them over and over.

20The shepherds returned. They gave glory and praise to God. Everything they had seen and heard was just as they had been told.

Joseph and Mary Take Jesus to the Temple

21When the child was eight days old, he was circumcised. At the same time he was named Jesus. This was the name the angel had given him before his mother became pregnant.

22The time for making them pure came as it is written in the Law of Moses. So Joseph and Mary took Jesus to Jerusalem. There they presented him to the Lord. 23In the Law of the Lord it says, “The first boy born in every family must be set apart for the Lord.” (Exodus 13:2, 12) 24They also offered a sacrifice. They did it in keeping with the Law, which says, “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Leviticus 12:8)

25In Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was a good and godly man. He was waiting for God’s promise to Israel to happen. The Holy Spirit was with him. 26The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27The Spirit led him into the temple courtyard.

Then Jesus’ parents brought the child in. They came to do for him what the Law required.

28Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said,

29 “Lord, you are the King over all.

Now let me, your servant, go in peace.

That is what you promised.

30 My eyes have seen your salvation.

31 You have prepared it in the sight of all people.

32 It is a light to be given to those who aren’t Jews.

It will bring glory to your people Israel.”

33The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him. 34Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus’ mother, “This child is going to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. God has sent him. But many will speak against him. 35The thoughts of many hearts will be known. A sword will wound your own soul too.”

36There was also a prophet named Anna. She was the daughter of Penuel from the tribe of Asher. Anna was very old. After getting married, she lived with her husband seven years. 37Then she was a widow until she was 84. She never left the temple. She worshiped night and day, praying and going without eating.

38Anna came up to Jesus’ family at that very moment. She gave thanks to God. And she spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the time when Jerusalem would be set free.

39Joseph and Mary did everything the Law of the Lord required. Then they returned to Galilee. They went to their own town of Nazareth. 40And the child grew and became strong. He was very wise. He was blessed by God’s grace.

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

41Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast. 42When he was 12 years old, they went up to the Feast as usual.

43After the Feast was over, his parents left to go back home. The boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But they were not aware of it. 44They thought he was somewhere in their group. So they traveled on for a day.

Then they began to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45They did not find him. So they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46After three days they found him in the temple courtyard. He was sitting with the teachers. He was listening to them and asking them questions. 47Everyone who heard him was amazed at how much he understood. They also were amazed at his answers.

48When his parents saw him, they were amazed. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been worried about you. We have been looking for you everywhere.”

49“Why were you looking for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50But they did not understand what he meant by that.

51Then he went back to Nazareth with them, and he obeyed them. But his mother kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. 52Jesus became wiser and stronger. He also became more and more pleasing to God and to people.

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

3 Tiberius Caesar had been ruling for 15 years. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea. Herod was the ruler of Galilee. His brother Philip was the ruler of Iturea and Traconitis. Lysanias was ruler of Abilene. 2Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. At that time God’s word came to John, son of Zechariah, in the desert. 3He went into all the countryside around the Jordan River. There he preached that people should be baptized and turn away from their sins. Then God would forgive them.

4Here is what is written in the scroll of the prophet Isaiah. It says,

“A messenger is calling out in the desert,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord.

Make straight paths for him.

5 Every valley will be filled in.

Every mountain and hill will be made level.

The crooked roads will become straight.

The rough ways will become smooth.

6 And everyone will see God’s salvation.’ ” (Isaiah 40:3–5)

7John spoke to the crowds coming to be baptized by him. He said, “You are like a nest of poisonous snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming of God’s anger? 8Produce fruit that shows you have turned away from your sins. And don’t start saying to yourselves, ‘Abraham is our father.’ I tell you, God can raise up children for Abraham even from these stones. 9The ax is already lying at the roots of the trees. All the trees that don’t produce good fruit will be cut down. They will be thrown into the fire.”

10“Then what should we do?” the crowd asked.

11John answered, “If you have extra clothes, you should share with those who have none. And if you have extra food, you should do the same.”

12Tax collectors also came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?”

13“Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” John told them.

14Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

John replied, “Don’t force people to give you money. Don’t bring false charges against people. Be happy with your pay.”

15The people were waiting. They were expecting something. They were all wondering in their hearts if John might be the Christ.

16John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But One who is more powerful than I am will come. I’m not good enough to untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His pitchfork is in his hand to toss the straw away from his threshing floor. He will gather the wheat into his storeroom. But he will burn up the husks with fire that can’t be put out.”

18John said many other things to warn the people. He also preached the good news to them.

19But John found fault with Herod, the ruler of Galilee, because of Herodias. She was the wife of Herod’s brother. John also spoke strongly to Herod about all the other evil things he had done. 20So Herod locked him up in prison. He added this sin to all his others.

The Baptism and Family Line of Jesus

21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened. 22The Holy Spirit came down on him in the form of a dove. A voice came from heaven. It said, “You are my Son, and I love you. I am very pleased with you.”

23Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his special work for God and others. It was thought that he was the son of Joseph.

Joseph was the son of Heli.

24 Heli was the son of Matthat.

Matthat was the son of Levi.

Levi was the son of Melki.

Melki was the son of Jannai.

Jannai was the son of Joseph.

25 Joseph was the son of Mattathias.

Mattathias was the son of Amos.

Amos was the son of Nahum.

Nahum was the son of Esli.

Esli was the son of Naggai.

26 Naggai was the son of Maath.

Maath was the son of Mattathias.

Mattathias was the son of Semein.

Semein was the son of Josech.

Josech was the son of Joda.

27 Joda was the son of Joanan.

Joanan was the son of Rhesa.

Rhesa was the son of Zerubbabel.

Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel.

Shealtiel was the son of Neri.

28 Neri was the son of Melki.

Melki was the son of Addi.

Addi was the son of Cosam.

Cosam was the son of Elmadam.

Elmadam was the son of Er.

29 Er was the son of Joshua.

Joshua was the son of Eliezer.

Eliezer was the son of Jorim.

Jorim was the son of Matthat.

Matthat was the son of Levi.

30 Levi was the son of Simeon.

Simeon was the son of Judah.

Judah was the son of Joseph.

Joseph was the son of Jonam.

Jonam was the son of Eliakim.

31 Eliakim was the son of Melea.

Melea was the son of Menna.

Menna was the son of Mattatha.

Mattatha was the son of Nathan.

Nathan was the son of David.

32 David was the son of Jesse.

Jesse was the son of Obed.

Obed was the son of Boaz.

Boaz was the son of Salmon.

Salmon was the son of Nahshon.

33 Nahshon was the son of Amminadab.

Amminadab was the son of Ram.

Ram was the son of Hezron.

Hezron was the son of Perez.

Perez was the son of Judah.

34 Judah was the son of Jacob.

Jacob was the son of Isaac.

Isaac was the son of Abraham.

Abraham was the son of Terah.

Terah was the son of Nahor.

35 Nahor was the son of Serug.

Serug was the son of Reu.

Reu was the son of Peleg.

Peleg was the son of Eber.

Eber was the son of Shelah.

36 Shelah was the son of Cainan.

Cainan was the son of Arphaxad.

Arphaxad was the son of Shem.

Shem was the son of Noah.

Noah was the son of Lamech.

37 Lamech was the son of Methuselah.

Methuselah was the son of Enoch.

Enoch was the son of Jared.

Jared was the son of Mahalalel.

Mahalalel was the son of Kenan.

38 Kenan was the son of Enosh.

Enosh was the son of Seth.

Seth was the son of Adam.

Adam was the son of God.