03 March 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Saturday, 03 March 2018

Happy Saturday to all.
Late today.  I was awake most of the night, dozed off around 03:30 or so.  Back up at 06:30 to feed cats and kick them out of bedroom.  Slept a little bit longer, but just one of "those" days.  But we're alive and we had a good breakfast.  Real late lunch very soon.
Temperature hovering around the freezing point.  Supposedly going up another couple degrees, but down to 22° tonight and 20° tomorrow night.  While our former neighbors in central Alabama are having to endure 70°:  I feel real bad for them.  But we're now at a "day" of 11 hours 21 minutes, gaining another 2 minutes 43 seconds by tomorrow.  Spring is taking far too long getting here.  Snow is expected to return Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. 

Several songs in mind today, some from that weird early morning half-awake period.

To God Be The Glory is first.  I was thinking about this in reaction to yesterday's services for the late Billy Graham.  He would have been the first one to say that all credit goes to the Lord, not to His servants at any station.  We do well to remember.  That is where the focus must be.

and,
Hallelujah To The Lamb  .  This is a  personal favorite, and I have memories of singing this with some good-sized choral groups in several states.  It means a very great deal to me.  And, yes, every knee shall bow, willingly or not.

and,
My Help.   This is the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, a pretty interesting bunch.  And yes, all my help cometh from the Lord.  All.  There are some people in that assembly, in the choir and in the pews, who know that.  Some of us know it as well, having been in what appeared to be impossible situations that He, for reasons known only to Him, rescued us from. 



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Our reading today is chapters 5 and 6 from the book of Numbers
Pay attention to verses 24 - 26 of chapter 6.  This is a benediction that is always appropriate, and very much a personal favorite.


Numbers 5
1  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2  Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead:
3  Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.
4  And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp: as the Lord spake unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.
5  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
6  Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty;
7  Then they shall confess their sin which they have done: and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed.
8  But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the Lord, even to the priest; beside the ram of the atonement, whereby an atonement shall be made for him.
9  And every offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they bring unto the priest, shall be his.offering
10  And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.
11  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
12  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, If any man's wife go aside, and commit a trespass against him,
13  And a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, and be kept close, and she be defiled, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken with the manner;
14  And the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled: or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled:
15  Then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and he shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is an offering of jealousy, an offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance.
16  And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the Lord:
17  And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is in the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water:
18  And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord, and uncover the woman's head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:
19  And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse
20  But if thou hast gone aside to another instead of thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee beside thine husband:
21  Then the priest shall charge the woman with an oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman, The Lord make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the Lord doth make thy thigh to rot, and thy belly to swell
22  And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.
23  And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:
24  And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.
25  Then the priest shall take the jealousy offering out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the offering before the Lord, and offer it upon the altar:
26  And the priest shall take an handful of the offering, even the memorial thereof, and burn it upon the altar, and afterward shall cause the woman to drink the water.
27  And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.
28  And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be free, and shall conceive seed.
29  This is the law of jealousies, when a wife goeth aside to another instead of her husband, and is defiled;
30  Or when the spirit of jealousy cometh upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law.
31  Then shall the man be guiltless from iniquity, and this woman shall bear her iniquity.



Numbers 6
And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When either man or woman shall separate themselves to vow a vow of a Nazarite, to separate themselves unto the Lord
He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried.
4  All the days of his separation shall he eat nothing that is made of the vine tree, from the kernels even to the husk.separation
All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.
6  All the days that he separateth himself unto the Lord he shall come at no dead body.
7  He shall not make himself unclean for his father, or for his mother, for his brother, or for his sister, when they die: because the consecration of his God is upon his head
All the days of his separation he is holy unto the Lord.
9  And if any man die very suddenly by him, and he hath defiled the head of his consecration; then he shall shave his head in the day of his cleansing, on the seventh day shall he shave it.
10  And on the eighth day he shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, to the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
11  And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, and make an atonement for him, for that he sinned by the dead, and shall hallow his head that same day.
12  And he shall consecrate unto the Lord the days of his separation, and shall bring a lamb of the first year for a trespass offering: but the days that were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.
13  And this is the law of the Nazarite, when the days of his separation are fulfilled: he shall be brought unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
14  And he shall offer his offering unto the Lord, one he lamb of the first year without blemish for a burnt offering, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish for a sin offering, and one ram without blemish for peace offerings,
15  And a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, and wafers of unleavened bread anointed with oil, and their meat offering, and their drink offerings.
16  And the priest shall bring them before the Lord, and shall offer his sin offering, and his burnt offering:
17  And he shall offer the ram for a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord, with the basket of unleavened bread: the priest shall offer also his meat offering, and his drink offering.
18  And the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings.
19  And the priest shall take the sodden shoulder of the ram, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them upon the hands of the Nazarite, after the hair of his separation is shaven:
20  And the priest shall wave them for a wave offering before the Lord: this is holy for the priest, with the wave breast and heave shoulder: and after that the Nazarite may drink wine.
21  This is the law of the Nazarite who hath vowed, and of his offering unto the Lord for his separation, beside that that his hand shall get: according to the vow which he vowed, so he must do after the law of his separation.
22  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
23  Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them,
24  The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
25  The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26  The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
27  And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them.



02 March 2018

Today's Readings and Stuff -- Friday, 02 March 2018

Spent a while watching the livestream of the "celebration of life" of the late Rev. Billy Graham.  Moving.  Very much so.  As his daughter Ruth related, when she had strayed and was having a rough go of it, he invited her to the house.  When she pulled up, he was there with arms open wide.  As she put it, he showed the same character as the Lord does.  And, after all, isn't that our responsibility, our calling?  To show the in our lives and demeanor the character of Christ?  Remember the story of Prodigal?  Who among us has not fallen?  Yet, there He is, arms open wide.  I know.  Perhaps you do as well.

Spending some time with a post/article on the website of Baptist Press.
Are we willing to die to self?

Today, we are up to 11 hours 18 minutes of "day", with tomorrow set to be 2 minutes 43 seconds longer.  The Equinox is approaching, albeit far too slowly for my liking.


Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus  is my song of the week.  Or for every day.

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Our reading today, chapters 3 and 4 of the book of Numbers.  A role, a responsibility assigned, for many.  Suppose your assigned role was to store and transport the tent pegs for the Tent of Meeting, the Tabernacle?   Would you be miffed at the lowliness of that,  or would you endeavor to do it in the very best way possible, as unto the Lord?  I know what I hope is the answer.


Numbers 3

1  These also are the generations of Aaron and Moses in the day that the Lord spake with Moses in mount Sinai.
2  And these are the names of the sons of Aaron; Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
3  These are the names of the sons of Aaron, the priests which were anointed, whom he consecrated to minister in the priest's office.
And Nadab and Abihu died before the Lord, when they offered strange fire before the Lord, in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children: and Eleazar and Ithamar ministered in the priest's office in the sight of Aaron their father.
5  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
6  Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may minister unto him.
7  And they shall keep his charge, and the charge of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of the congregation, to do the service of the tabernacle.
8  And they shall keep all the instruments of the tabernacle of the congregation, and the charge of the children of Israel, to do the service of the tabernacle.
9  And thou shalt give the Levites unto Aaron and to his sons: they are wholly given unto him out of the children of Israel.
10  And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest's office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
11  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
12  And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be mine;
13  Because all the firstborn are mine; for on the day that I smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto me all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast: mine shall they be: I am the Lord.
14  And the Lord spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying,
15  Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them.
16  And Moses numbered them according to the word of the Lord, as he was commanded.
17  And these were the sons of Levi by their names; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari.
18  And these are the names of the sons of Gershon by their families; Libni, and Shimei.
19  And the sons of Kohath by their families; Amram, and Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.
20  And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
21  Of Gershon was the family of the Libnites, and the family of the Shimites: these are the families of the Gershonites.
22  Those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, even those that were numbered of them were seven thousand and five hundred.
23  The families of the Gershonites shall pitch behind the tabernacle westward.
24  And the chief of the house of the father of the Gershonites shall be Eliasaph the son of Lael.
25  And the charge of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation shall be the tabernacle, and the tent, the covering thereof, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
26  And the hangings of the court, and the curtain for the door of the court, which is by the tabernacle, and by the altar round about, and the cords of it for all the service thereof.
27  And of Kohath was the family of the Amramites, and the family of the Izharites, and the family of the Hebronites, and the family of the Uzzielites: these are the families of the Kohathites.
28  In the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were eight thousand and six hundred, keeping the charge of the sanctuary.
29  The families of the sons of Kohath shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle southward.
30  And the chief of the house of the father of the families of the Kohathites shall be Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
31  And their charge shall be the ark, and the table, and the candlestick, and the altars, and the vessels of the sanctuary wherewith they minister, and the hanging, and all the service thereof.
32  And Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be chief over the chief of the Levites, and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the sanctuary.
33  Of Merari was the family of the Mahlites, and the family of the Mushites: these are the families of Merari.
34  And those that were numbered of them, according to the number of all the males, from a month old and upward, were six thousand and two hundred.
35  And the chief of the house of the father of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail: these shall pitch on the side of the tabernacle northward.
36  And under the custody and charge of the sons of Merari shall be the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the sockets thereof, and all the vessels thereof, and all that serveth thereto
37  And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords.
38  But those that encamp before the tabernacle toward the east, even before the tabernacle of the congregation eastward, shall be Moses, and Aaron and his sons, keeping the charge of the sanctuary for the charge of the children of Israel; and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
39  All that were numbered of the Levites, which Moses and Aaron numbered at the commandment of the Lord, throughout their families, all the males from a month old and upward, were twenty and two thousand.
40  And the Lord said unto Moses, Number all the firstborn of the males of the children of Israel from a month old and upward, and take the number of their names.
41  And thou shalt take the Levites for me (I am the Lord) instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel; and the cattle of the Levites instead of all the firstlings among the cattle of the children of Israel.
42  And Moses numbered, as the Lord commanded him, all the firstborn among the children of Israel.
43  And all the firstborn males by the number of names, from a month old and upward, of those that were numbered of them, were twenty and two thousand two hundred and threescore and thirteen.
44  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
45  Take the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the children of Israel, and the cattle of the Levites instead of their cattle; and the Levites shall be mine: I am the Lord.
46  And for those that are to be redeemed of the two hundred and threescore and thirteen of the firstborn of the children of Israel, which are more than the Levites;
47  Thou shalt even take five shekels apiece by the poll, after the shekel of the sanctuary shalt thou take them: (the shekel is twenty gerahs:)
48  And thou shalt give the money, wherewith the odd number of them is to be redeemed, unto Aaron and to his sons.
49  And Moses took the redemption money of them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites:
50  Of the firstborn of the children of Israel took he the money; a thousand three hundred and threescore and five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:
51  And Moses gave the money of them that were redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons, according to the word of the Lord, as the Lord commanded Moses.



Numbers 4

1  And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
2  Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among the sons of Levi, after their families, by the house of their fathers,
3  From thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all that enter into the host, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
4  This shall be the service of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation, about the most holy things:
5  And when the camp setteth forward, Aaron shall come, and his sons, and they shall take down the covering veil, and cover the ark of testimony with it:
6  And shall put thereon the covering of badgers' skins, and shall spread over it a cloth wholly of blue, and shall put in the staves thereof.
7  And upon the table of shewbread they shall spread a cloth of blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the spoons, and the bowls, and covers to cover withal: and the continual bread shall be thereon:
8  And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover the same with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put in the staves thereof.
9  And they shall take a cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and his lamps, and his tongs, and his snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they minister unto it:
10  And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put it upon a bar.
11  And upon the golden altar they shall spread a cloth of blue, and cover it with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put to the staves thereof:
12  And they shall take all the instruments of ministry, wherewith they minister in the sanctuary, and put them in a cloth of blue, and cover them with a covering of badgers' skins, and shall put them on a bar:
13And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon:
14  And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, even the censers, the fleshhooks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of badgers' skins, and put to the staves of it.basins: or, bowls
15  And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward; after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear it: but they shall not touch any holy thing, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tabernacle of the congregation.
16  And to the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest pertaineth the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the daily meat offering, and the anointing oil, and the oversight of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, in the sanctuary, and in the vessels thereof.
17  And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,
18  Cut ye not off the tribe of the families of the Kohathites from among the Levites:
19  But thus do unto them, that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and to his burden:
20  But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.
21  And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
22  Take also the sum of the sons of Gershon, throughout the houses of their fathers, by their families;
23  From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.
24  This is the service of the families of the Gershonites, to serve, and for burdens:burdens: or, carriage
25  And they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tabernacle of the congregation, his covering, and the covering of the badgers' skins that is above upon it, and the hanging for the door of the tabernacle of the congregation,
26  And the hangings of the court, and the hanging for the door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and all that is made for them: so shall they serve.
27  At the appointment of Aaron and his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their burdens, and in all their service: and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all their burdens.
28  This is the service of the families of the sons of Gershon in the tabernacle of the congregation: and their charge shall be under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
29  As for the sons of Merari, thou shalt number them after their families, by the house of their fathers;
30  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.service: Heb. warfare
31  And this is the charge of their burden, according to all their service in the tabernacle of the congregation; the boards of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and sockets thereof,
32  And the pillars of the court round about, and their sockets, and their pins, and their cords, with all their instruments, and with all their service: and by name ye shall reckon the instruments of the charge of their burden.
33  This is the service of the families of the sons of Merari, according to all their service, in the tabernacle of the congregation, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest.
34  And Moses and Aaron and the chief of the congregation numbered the sons of the Kohathites after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
35  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation:
36  And those that were numbered of them by their families were two thousand seven hundred and fifty.
37  These were they that were numbered of the families of the Kohathites, all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, which Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
38  And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, throughout their families, and by the house of their fathers,
39  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
40  Even those that were numbered of them, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers, were two thousand and six hundred and thirty.
41  These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of all that might do service in the tabernacle of the congregation, whom Moses and Aaron did number according to the commandment of the Lord.
42  And those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, throughout their families, by the house of their fathers,
43  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that entereth into the service, for the work in the tabernacle of the congregation,
44  Even those that were numbered of them after their families, were three thousand and two hundred.
45  These be those that were numbered of the families of the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.
46  All those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the chief of Israel numbered, after their families, and after the house of their fathers,
47  From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one that came to do the service of the ministry, and the service of the burden in the tabernacle of the congregation,
48  Even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and fourscore.
49  According to the commandment of the Lord they were numbered by the hand of Moses, every one according to his service, and according to his burden: thus were they numbered of him, as the Lord commanded Moses.



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Psalm 45


To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.
1. My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.Maschil: or, of instructionis inditing: Heb. boileth, or, bubbleth up
2. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
3. Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
4.   And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.ride…: Heb. prosper thou, ride thou
5. Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
6. Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
8. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.
9. Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.
10. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house;
11. So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.
12. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour.favour: Heb. face
13. The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
14. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.
15. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king's palace.
16. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.
17. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.



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Luke 1

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,
2  Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
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,
4  That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
6  And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7  And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
8  And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
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 of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
11  And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
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.
14  And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
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.
16  And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
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.
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.
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.
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.
21  And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
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.
23  And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
24  And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
25  Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
26  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
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.
29  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
31  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
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:
33  And he shall reign over 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, seeing I know not a man?
35And 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.
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.
37  For with God nothing shall be impossible.
38  And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
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 salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42  And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43  And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44  For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in 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.
48  For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49  For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50  And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51  He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52  He hath put down the 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;
55  As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
56  And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
57  Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58  And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
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.
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 name is John. And they marvelled all.
64  And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and 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 Judaea.
66  And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with 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 horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70  As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
71  That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
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,
74  That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
75  In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
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;
77  To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,
78  Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,
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.
80  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.