Luke 1:1-25
New Catholic Bible
Prologue[a]
Chapter 1
1 Since many different individuals have undertaken the task to set down an account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 in accordance with their transmission to us by those who were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word from the beginning, 3 I too, after researching all the evidence anew with great care, have decided to write an orderly account for you, Theophilus, who are so greatly revered, 4 so that you may learn the unquestioned authenticity of the teachings you have received.
The Infancy Narrative[b]
Announcement of the Birth of John.[c] At the time of the reign of King Herod of Judea,[d] there was a priest named Zechariah, a member of the priestly order of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the eyes of God, observing blamelessly all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 7 But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years.8 On one occasion, when his division was on duty and he was exercising his priestly office before God, 9 he was designated by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense.[e] 10 At the hour of the offering of incense, all the people were outside, praying. 11 Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing to the right of the altar of incense.
12 When Zechariah beheld him, he was terrified and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear for you a son, and you shall name him John. 14 He will be a source of joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.
“He will never imbibe wine or any strong drink. Even when he is still in his mother’s womb, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, 16 and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to reconcile fathers with their children and to convert the disobedient to the ways of the righteous, so that a prepared people might be made ready for the Lord.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be assured of this? For I am an old man and my wife is well past the stage of giving birth.” 19 The angel replied, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to convey to you this good news. 20 But now, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their appointed time, you will lose your power of speech and will become mute until the day that these things take place.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he was delaying so long in the sanctuary. 22 When he did emerge, he could not speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision while he was in the sanctuary. He was only able to make signs to them, but he remained unable to speak.
23 When his term of service was completed, he returned home. 24 Shortly thereafter his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she remained in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “The Lord has granted me this blessing, looking favorably upon me and removing from me the humiliation I have endured among my people.”[f]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 1:1 Like the Greek historians of his time, Luke begins his book with a prologue. He dedicates the work to a distinguished person, Theophilus (otherwise unknown to us), who has already been taught the good news. Some scholars believe that the name is symbolic for it means “lover of God,” hence all Christians.
- Luke 1:5 The Gospel is first and foremost a proclamation of what Jesus did and taught and, above all, of his Death and Resurrection for the salvation of humankind; everything that the preachers of the mission and message of Jesus proclaimed led toward the mystery of Easter. But, like Matthew, Luke decided to preface all that with a description of the period preceding the public appearance of Jesus, because the Church wanted to know the mystery of Jesus back to its very beginnings.
5
The events described by Matthew, however, are not focused on the birth, which is recounted for us through the experiences of Joseph; Luke speaks directly of the birth through the experience of Mary. Regarding Mary, the opening pages of the third Gospel have provided the Church down the centuries with an abundant, and still flowing, wellspring for its faith (Marian teachings), its devotion (the “Hail, Mary”), and its art. Some points emerge with utter clarity: Mary is the Mother of Jesus; the birth took place at Bethlehem; and the newborn child was placed in a manger. The primary statement made is undoubtedly this: that Jesus was born not by the will of human beings but by the initiative of God, and that he was born of a virgin mother. - Luke 1:5 The time is toward the end of the reign of Herod the Great (37–4 B.C.). A faithful and devout couple have been praying for the salvation of the people (v. 13). The husband belonged to the eighth class of priests (1 Chr 24:10) and had the joy of entering every so often into the sanctuary. In the midst of the service, an angel—Gabriel, the messenger of the time of salvation (Dan 9:21-27)—appears to him and tells him of an unexpected birth. Like Isaac (Gen 21:2), Samson (Jdg 13:3-7), and Samuel (1 Sam 1), this child will be the result of a miracle, and, even before his birth, he is destined for the service of God; he will live as an ascetic, a “Nazirite” (see Num 6:3-4; Jdg 13:4-5); he will be the mysterious forerunner of the last times, the new Elijah whom the people expected in accordance with an old tradition (Mal 3:23-24). His name will be John, which means: “The Lord is gracious.”
- Luke 1:5 Judea: meant here is the entire territory of Palestine.
- Luke 1:9 Incense was offered in the Holy Place, the room in front of the Holy of Holies or innermost part of the temple. The rite of incense was performed morning and evening at the time of sacrifice.
- Luke 1:25 The humiliation I have endured among my people: lack of children deprived the parents of personal happiness but also brought about social reproach (see Gen 16:2—Sarai; 25:21—Rebekah; 30:23—Rachel; 1 Sam 1:1-18—Hannah; see also Lev 20:20-21; Ps 128:3; Jer 22:30).
Luke 1:57-80
New Catholic Bible
57 The Birth of John. When the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they shared in her rejoicing.
59 On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 However, his mother objected. “No,” she said. “He is to be called John.” 61 They said to her, “There is no one in your family who has this name.” 62 They then made signs to his father to ask what name he wanted to be given to the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and he wrote: “His name is John.” They were all filled with wonder.
64 Immediately, his mouth was opened and his tongue was freed, and he began to speak, giving praise to God. 65 All their neighbors were overcome with awe, and all these things were related throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them were deeply impressed, and they wondered, “What then is this child going to be?” For the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 The Canticle of Zechariah.[a] Then the child’s father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68 “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
for he has visited his people and redeemed them.
69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
from the house of his servant David,
70 just as he proclaimed through the mouth of his holy prophets from age to age:
71 salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who hate us,
72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remain mindful of his holy covenant,
73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham,
and to grant us that, 74 delivered from the power of our enemies,
without fear we might worship him 75 in holiness and righteousness
in his presence all our days.
76 “And you, my child, will be called prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 to give his people knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78 because of the tender mercy of our God
by which the dawn from on high will break upon us
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet along the path of peace.”
80 The Son of the Wilderness. The child grew and became strong in spirit. He lived in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 1:67 The hour of light has come, and the Messiah is the star that rises (v. 78; see Num 24:17; Isa 60:1; Mal 3:20) or, again, the branch that springs from David (Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zec 3:8; 6:12). The Canticle of Zechariah, the Benedictus, rings out daily in the liturgical office of Morning Prayer (Lauds). The whole faith of the Old Testament is woven into its proclamation of peace, that is, fulfillment and joy for humanity, as a gift from God.
