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1 Since many have taken a turn to systematically lay out the full story of everything that has been accomplished in us,
2 as they were handed down to us by those who were, from the start, eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word;
3 It seemed a good idea to me as well, having accurately researched everything from the beginning, to write this down for you in chronological order, most excellent Theophilus,
4 That you might fully know without any doubt those words that you have been taught.
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the class of Abia: and his wife [was] from the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elizabeth.
6 And they were both righteous before God, blameless in walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
7 And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were [now] well advanced in years.
8 And it happened that while he carried the functions of the priest's office before God in the duties of his rank,
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 a whole crowd of people were praying outside at the time of incense.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
 - ANGELS
12 And when Zacharias saw [him], he was stirred, and fear came on him.
13 But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zacharias: because your prayer was heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John.
 - ANGELS - ANGEL MESSENGER
14 And you will have joy and happiness; and many will be glad when he is born.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and will drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, right from his mother's womb.
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before Him in the spirit and [dynamic] power of Elijah, 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 to the angel, How can I be sure of this? for I am an old man, and my wife well advanced in years.
19 And the angel answering said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you, and to show you this good news.
Gabriel is head of the messenger angels
- ANGELS

20 And, now, you will be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things will be carried out, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their appointed [kairos] time.
His unbelief did not block God from doing this. It still came to pass
- KAIROS - TIME

21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and wondered why he was remaining so long in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he waved to them, and remained speechless.
23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his service were completed, he departed to his own house.
24 And after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
They must have still been having sex - he was not impotent

25 This is how the Lord has dealt with me when he took note of [me], to take away my humiliation in the site of man.
26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
 - ANGELS
27 To a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, from the family tree of David; and the virgin's name [was] Mary.
28 And the angel came in to her, and said, Greetings, [you who are] highly favored, the Lord [is] with you : blessed [are] you amongst women.
 - ANGELS
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 to her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God.
31 And, behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name JESUS.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David:
33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.
34 Then said Mary to the angel, How will this happen, since I am not having sex with a man?
35 And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the [dynamic] power of the Highest will overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing that will be born from you will be called the Son of God.
36 And, observe your family relative Elisabeth; she has also conceived a son in her old age: and the one who was called barren before is now in her sixth month.
37 For with God nothing [no rhema word] will be impossible.
 - RHEMA - WORD
38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your [rhema] word. And the angel departed from her.
 - RHEMA - WORD
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 Spirit:
 - FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
42 And she spoke out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [are] you among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb.
43 And where [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of your salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
45 And blessed [is] she that believed: for there will be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.
46 And Mary said, My soul continues to praise and exalt the Lord,
It is the soul that expresses joy in praise to the Lord

47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
Joy is a spiritual force and originates in the spirit

48 For he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty has 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 has showed strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the imagination [dianoia] of their hearts.
52 He has put down the mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he has sent empty away.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy;
55 As he spoke 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 [chronos] time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
 - CHRONOS - TIME
58 And her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had shown 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.
A name was chosen during the act of circumcision

60 And his mother answered and said, Not [so]; but he will be called John.
61 And they said to her, There is none of your kindred that is called by this name.
It was common to use family names over and over

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 [released], and he spoke, and praised God.
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these [rhema] sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
 - RHEMA - WORD
66 And all they that heard [them] laid [them] up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child will this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
 - FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT
68 Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;
70 As he spoke 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 swore to our father Abraham,
74 That he would grant to 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 you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
77 To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high has 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 showing to Israel.