^{3 Ref} it seemed good also to me, having followed from the first after all things exactly, to write to thee in order, most noble Theophilus,

^{4 Ref} that thou mayest know the certainty of the things wherein thou wast instructed.

^{5 Ref} There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elisabeth;

^{6 Ref} and they were both righteous before God, going on in all the commands and righteousnesses of the Lord blameless,

^{7 Ref} and they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and both were advanced in their days.

^{8 Ref} And it came to pass, in his acting as priest, in the order of his course before God,

^{9 Ref} according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot was to make perfume, having gone into the sanctuary of the Lord,

^{10 Ref} and all the multitude of the people were praying without, at the hour of the perfume.

^{11 Ref} And there appeared to him a messenger of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of the perfume,

^{12 Ref} and Zacharias, having seen, was troubled, and fear fell on him;

^{13 Ref} and the messenger said unto him, `Fear not, Zacharias, for thy supplication was heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear a son to thee, and thou shalt call his name John,

^{14 Ref} and there shall be joy to thee, and gladness, and many at his birth shall joy,

^{15 Ref} for he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and strong drink he may not drink, and of the Holy Spirit he shall be full, even from his mother's womb;

^{16 Ref} and many of the sons of Israel he shall turn to the Lord their God,

^{17 Ref} and he shall go before Him, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn hearts of fathers unto children, and disobedient ones to the wisdom of righteous ones, to make ready for the Lord, a people prepared.'