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,

1 Quoniam quidem multi conati sunt ordinare narrationem, quæ in nobis completæ sunt, rerum:

2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

2 sicut tradiderunt nobis, qui ab initio ipsi viderunt, et ministri fuerunt sermonis:

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,

3 visum est et mihi, assecuto omnia a principio diligenter, ex ordine tibi scribere, optime Theophile,

4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

4 ut cognoscas eorum verborum, de quibus eruditus es, veritatem.

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.

5 ¶ Fuit in diebus Herodis, regis Judææ, sacerdos quidam nomine Zacharias de vice Abia, et uxor illius de filiabus Aaron, et nomen ejus Elisabeth.

6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

6 Erant autem justi ambo ante Deum, incedentes in omnibus mandatis et justificationibus Domini sine querela.

7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

7 Et non erat illis filius, eo quod esset Elisabeth sterilis, et ambo processissent in diebus suis.

8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,

8 Factum est autem, cum sacerdotio fungeretur in ordine vicis suæ ante Deum,

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.

9 secundum consuetudinem sacerdotii, sorte exiit ut incensum poneret, ingressus in templum Domini:

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

10 et omnis multitudo populi erat orans foris hora incensi.

11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

11 Apparuit autem illi angelus Domini, stans a dextris altaris incensi.

12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

12 Et Zacharias turbatus est videns, et timor irruit super eum.

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.

13 Ait autem ad illum angelus: Ne timeas, Zacharia, quoniam exaudita est deprecatio tua: et uxor tua Elisabeth pariet tibi filium, et vocabis nomen ejus Joannem:

14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

14 et erit gaudium tibi, et exsultatio, et multi in nativitate ejus gaudebunt:

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.

15 erit enim magnus coram Domino: et vinum et siceram non bibet, et Spiritu Sancto replebitur adhuc ex utero matris suæ:

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

16 et multos filiorum Israël convertet ad Dominum Deum ipsorum:

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.

17 et ipse præcedet ante illum in spiritu et virtute Eliæ: ut convertat corda patrum in filios, et incredulos ad prudentiam justorum, parare Domino plebem perfectam.

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.

18 Et dixit Zacharias ad angelum: Unde hoc sciam? ego enim sum senex, et uxor mea processit in diebus suis.

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.

19 Et respondens angelus dixit ei: Ego sum Gabriel, qui asto ante Deum: et missus sum loqui ad te, et hæc tibi evangelizare.

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.

20 Et ecce eris tacens, et non poteris loqui usque in diem quo hæc fiant, pro eo quod non credidisti verbis meis, quæ implebuntur in tempore suo.

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

21 Et erat plebs exspectans Zachariam: et mirabantur quod tardaret ipse in templo.

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.

22 Egressus autem non poterat loqui ad illos, et cognoverunt quod visionem vidisset in templo. Et ipse erat innuens illis, et permansit mutus.

23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

23 Et factum est, ut impleti sunt dies officii ejus, abiit in domum suam:

24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

24 post hos autem dies concepit Elisabeth uxor ejus, et occultabat se mensibus quinque, dicens:

25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

25 Quia sic fecit mihi Dominus in diebus, quibus respexit auferre opprobrium meum inter homines.

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

26 ¶ In mense autem sexto, missus est angelus Gabriel a Deo in civitatem Galilææ, cui nomen Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house

ℵ ⟨house and lineage⟩

of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

27 ad virginem desponsatam viro, cui nomen erat Joseph, de domo David: et nomen virginis Maria.

28 And the angel

B ⟨he⟩

came in

A omit

unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women

ℵB omit

.

28 Et ingressus angelus ad eam dixit: Ave gratia plena: Dominus tecum: benedicta tu in mulieribus.

29 And when she saw him,

ℵB omit

she was troubled at his

ℵB ⟨the⟩

saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

29 Quæ cum audisset, turbata est in sermone ejus, et cogitabat qualis esset ista salutatio.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

30 Et ait angelus ei: Ne timeas, Maria: invenisti enim gratiam apud Deum.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

31 Ecce concipies in utero, et paries filium, et vocabis nomen ejus Jesum:

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:

32 hic erit magnus, et Filius Altissimi vocabitur, et dabit illi Dominus Deus sedem David patris ejus: et regnabit in domo Jacob in æternum,

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

33 et regni ejus non erit finis.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

34 Dixit autem Maria ad angelum: Quomodo fiet istud, quoniam virum non cognosco?

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.

35 Et respondens angelus dixit ei: Spiritus Sanctus superveniet in te, et virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi. Ideoque et quod nascetur ex te sanctum, vocabitur Filius Dei.

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.

36 Et ecce Elisabeth cognata tua, et ipsa concepit filium in senectute sua: et hic mensis sextus est illi, quæ vocatur sterilis:

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

37 quia non erit impossibile apud Deum omne verbum.

38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

38 Dixit autem Maria: Ecce ancilla Domini: fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum. Et discessit ab illa angelus.

39 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda;

39 ¶ Exsurgens autem Maria in diebus illis, abiit in montana cum festinatione, in civitatem Juda:

40 And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.

40 et intravit in domum Zachariæ, et salutavit Elisabeth.

41 And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb

ℵ* ⟨womb for joy⟩

; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

41 Et factum est, ut audivit salutationem Mariæ Elisabeth, exsultavit infans in utero ejus: et repleta est Spiritu Sancto Elisabeth:

42 And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

42 et exclamavit voce magna, et dixit: Benedicta tu inter mulieres, et benedictus fructus ventris tui.

43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

43 Et unde hoc mihi, ut veniat mater Domini mei ad me?

44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

44 Ecce enim ut facta est vox salutationis tuæ in auribus meis, exsultavit in gaudio infans in utero meo.

45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

45 Et beata, quæ credidisti, quoniam perficientur ea, quæ dicta sunt tibi a Domino.

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

46 Et ait Maria: Magnificat anima mea Dominum:

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

47 et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo.

48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

48 Quia respexit humilitatem ancillæ suæ:
ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes,

49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

49 quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est:
et sanctum nomen ejus,

50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

50 et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies
timentibus eum.

51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

51 Fecit potentiam in brachio suo:
dispersit superbos mente cordis sui.

52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

52 Deposuit potentes de sede,
et exaltavit humiles.

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

53 Esurientes implevit bonis:
et divites dimisit inanes.

54 He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

54 Suscepit Israël puerum suum,
recordatus misericordiæ suæ:

55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

55 sicut locutus est ad patres nostros,
Abraham et semini ejus in sæcula.

56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

56 ¶ Mansit autem Maria cum illa quasi mensibus tribus: et reversa est in domum suam.

57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

57 ¶ Elisabeth autem impletum est tempus pariendi, et peperit filium.

58 And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

58 Et audierunt vicini et cognati ejus quia magnificavit Dominus misericordiam suam cum illa, et congratulabantur ei.

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.

59 Et factum est in die octavo, venerunt circumcidere puerum, et vocabant eum nomine patris sui Zachariam.

60 And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

60 Et respondens mater ejus, dixit: Nequaquam, sed vocabitur Joannes.

61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

61 Et dixerunt ad illam: Quia nemo est in cognatione tua, qui vocetur hoc nomine.

62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

62 Innuebant autem patri ejus, quem vellet vocari eum.

63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

63 Et postulans pugillarem scripsit, dicens: Joannes est nomen ejus. Et mirati sunt universi.

64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

64 Apertum est autem illico os ejus, et lingua ejus, et loquebatur benedicens Deum.

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

ℵ* ⟨them and in all the hill country of Judæa because of these sayings⟩

.

65 Et factus est timor super omnes vicinos eorum: et super omnia montana Judææ divulgabantur omnia verba hæc:

66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And

ℵ ⟨For⟩

the hand of the Lord was with him.

66 et posuerunt omnes qui audierant in corde suo, dicentes: Quis, putas, puer iste erit? etenim manus Domini erat cum illo.

67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

67 Et Zacharias pater ejus repletus est Spiritu Sancto: et prophetavit, dicens:

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

68 ¶ Benedictus Dominus Deus Israël,
quia visitavit, et fecit redemptionem plebis suæ:

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

69 et erexit cornu salutis nobis
in domo David pueri sui,

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

70 sicut locutus est per os sanctorum,
qui a sæculo sunt, prophetarum ejus:

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

71 salutem ex inimicis nostris,
et de manu omnium qui oderunt nos:

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

72 ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris:
et memorari testamenti sui sancti:

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

73 jusjurandum, quod juravit ad Abraham patrem nostrum,
daturum se nobis

74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our

ℵB omit

enemies might serve him without fear,

74 ut sine timore, de manu inimicorum nostrorum liberati,
serviamus illi

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life

ℵBA ⟨our days⟩

.

75 in sanctitate et justitia coram ipso,
omnibus diebus nostris.

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;

76 Et tu puer, propheta Altissimi vocaberis:
præibis enim ante faciem Domini parare vias ejus,

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their

A ⟨our⟩

sins,

77 ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi ejus
in remissionem peccatorum eorum

78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited

ℵB ⟨shall visit⟩

us,

78 per viscera misericordiæ Dei nostri,
in quibus visitavit nos, oriens ex alto:

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.

79 illuminare his qui in tenebris et in umbra mortis sedent:
ad dirigendos pedes nostros in viam pacis.

80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

80 ¶ Puer autem crescebat, et confortabatur spiritu: et erat in desertis usque in diem ostensionis suæ ad Israël.