ST. LUKE. CHAPTER 1. of the people were praying without at the time of incense. FORASMUCH as many 11 And there appeared unto have taken in hand to set him an angel of the Lord forth in order a declaration of standing on the right side of those things which are most the altar of incense. surely believed among us, 12 And when Zacharias saw 2 Even as they delivered them him, he was troubled, and fear unto us, which from the begin- fell upon him. ning were eyewitnesses, and, 13 But the angel said unto ministers of the word; him, Fear not, Zacharias: for 3 It seemed good to me also, thy prayer is heard; and thy having had perfect under- wife Elisabeth shall bear thee standing of all things from the a son, and thou shalt call his very first, to write unto thee name John. in order, most excellent Theo- 14 And thou shalt have joy philus, and gladness; and many shall 4 That thou mightest know rejoice at his birth. the certainty of those things 15 For he shall be great in wherein thou hast been in- the sight of the Lord, and shall structed. drink neither wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost,even from 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 5 HERE was in the T 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. his mother's womb. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of 6 And they were both right- Elias, to turn the hearts of the eous before God, walking in all fathers to the children, and the commandments and ordi- the disobedient to the wisdom nances of the Lord blameless. of the just to make ready a 7 And they had no child, people prepared for the Lord. because that Elisabeth was 18 And Zacharias said unto barren, and they both were the angel, Whereby shall I now well stricken in years. know this? for I am an old 8 And it came to pass, that man, and my wife well strickwhile he executed the priest's en in years. office before God in the order of his course, 19 And the angel answering said unto him, am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 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 20 And, behold, thou shalt be Tisitation of Gabriel. ST. LUKE, 1. Salutation of Mary. dumb, and not able to speak, shall be called the Son of the until the day that these things Highest: and the Lord God shall be performed, because shall give unto him the throne thou believest not my words, of his father David: which shall be fulfilled in their 33 And he shall reign over season. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 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, see ing I know not a man? 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: 35 And the angel answered and they perceived that he had and said unto her, The Holy seen a vision in the temple: for Ghost shall come upon thee, he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 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. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house." 36 And, behold, thy cousin 24 And after those days his Elisabeth, she hath also conwife Elisabeth conceived, and ceived a son in her old age: hid herself five months, say- and this is the sixth month ing, with her, who was called bar 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt ren. with me in the days wherein 37 For with God nothing shall he looked on me, to take away be impossible. my reproach among men. 38 And Mary said, Behold the 26 And in the sixth month handmaid of the Lord; be it the angel Gabriel was sent unto me according to thy from God unto a city of Galilee, word. And the angel departed named Nazareth, from her. 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. 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 salu 29 And when she saw him, tation of Mary, the babe leaped she was troubled at his saying, in her womb; and Elisabeth and cast in her mind what was filled with the Holy Ghost: manner of salutation this 42 And she spake out with a should be. loud voice, and said, Blessed 30 And the angel said unto art thou among women, and her, Fear not, Mary for thou blessed is the fruit of thy hast found favour with God. womb. 31 And, behold, thou shalt 43 And whence is this to me, conceive in thy womb, and that the mother of my Lord bring forth a son, and shalt should come to me? call his name JESÚS. 32 He shall be great, 44 For, lo, as soon as the voice and of thy salutation sounded in Mary's thanksgiving. ST. LUKE, 1. 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. Birth of John 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 48 For he hath regarded the name is John. And they marlow estate of his handmaiden: velled all. for, behold, from henceforth 64 And his mouth was opened 49 For he that is mighty hath 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. 50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. 51 He hath shewed strength 66 And all they that heard with his arm; he hath scattered them laid them up in their the proud in the imagination hearts, saying, What manner of their hearts. of child shall this be! And the 52 He hath put down the hand of the Lord was with 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; 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 55 As he spake to our fathers, horn of salvation for us in the to Abraham, and to his seed house of his servant David; for ever. 70 As he spake by the mouth 56 And Mary abode with her of his holy prophets, which about three months, and re- have been since the world beturned to her own house. gan: 57 Now Elisabeth's full time 71 That we should be saved came that she should be de- from our enemies, and from livered; and she brought forth the hand of all that hate us; a son. 58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her: and they rejoiced with her. 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, 59 And it came to pass, that 74 That he would grant unto on the eighth day they came us, that we being delivered out to circumcise the child; and of the hand of our enemies they called him Zacharias, might serve him without fear, after the name of his father. 75 In holiness and righteous Zacharias' prophecy. ST. LUKE, 2. Nativity of Christ. ness before him, all the days of was no room for them in the our life. inn. 76 And thou, child, shalt be 8 And there were in the same called the prophet of the High-country shepherds abiding in est: for thou shalt go before the field, keeping watch over the face of the Lord to prepare their flock by night. his ways; 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day- 10 And the angel said unto spring from on high hath them, Fear not: for, behold, I visited us, bring you good tidings of great 79 To give light to them that joy, which shall be to all sit in darkness and in the sha- people. dow of death, to guide our feet 11 For unto you is born this into the way of peace. day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. CHAPTER 2. AND it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augus 12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of God, and saying, the heavenly host praising 14 Glory to God in the hightus, that all the world should est, and on earth peace, good will toward men. be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first! And it came to pass, as the made when Cyrenius was go-angels were gone away from vernor of Syria.) them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath de known unto us. 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David :) 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a man ger. 5 To be taxed with Mary his 17 And when they had seen espoused wife, being great it, they made known abroad with child. the saying which was told 6 And so it was, that, while them concerning this child. they were there, the days were 18 And all they that heard accomplished that she should it wondered at those things be delivered. which were told them by the 7 And she brought forth her shepherds. firstborn son, and wrapped him 19 But Mary kept all these in swaddling clothes, and laid things, and pondered them in him in a manger; because there her heart. Simeon and Anna ST. LUKE, 2. prophesy of Christ. 20 And the shepherds return- Gentiles, and the glory of thy ed, glorifying and praising God people Israel. for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. 33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him. 21 And when eight days were 34 And Simeon blessed them, accomplished for the circum- and said unto Mary his mother, eising of the child, his name Behold, this child is set for the was called JESUS, which was fall and rising again of many so named of the angel before in Israel; and for a sign which he was conceived in the womb. shall be spoken against; 22 And when the days of her 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce purification according to the through thy own soul also,) law of Moses were accom-that the thoughts of many plished, they brought him to hearts may be revealed. Jerusalem, to present him to 36 And there was one Anna, the Lord; 23 (As it is written in the law a prophetess, the daughter of of the Lord, Every male that Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord ;) she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; 24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said 37 And she was a widow of in the law of the Lord, A pair which departed not from the about fourscore and four years, of turtledoves, or two young temple, but served God with pigeons. 25 And, behold, there was a fastings and prayers night and man in Jerusalem, day. whose name was Simeon; and the 38 And she coming in that same man was just and de- unto the Lord, and spake of instant gave thanks likewise vout, waiting for the consola-him to all them that looked tion of Israel; and the Holy for redemption in Jerusalem. Ghost was upon him. 26 And it was revealed unto 39 And when they had perhim by the Holy Ghost, that formed all things according to he should not see death, before the law of the Lord, they rehe had seen the Lord's Christ. turned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law. 28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the passover. 42 And when he was twelve Jerusalem after the custom of years old, they went up to the feast. 43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they return31 Which thou hast prepared ed, the child Jesus tarried bebefore the face of all people; hind in Jerusalem; and Joseph 32 A light to lighten the and his mother knew not of it. |