Read-aloud uses AI-generated Orakel narrator voices when available. Voice names are Orakel styles, not provider names.
Luke Chapter 1 001:001 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 001:002 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 001:003 it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; 001:004 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
001:005 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 001:006 They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. 001:007 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
001:008 Now it happened, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his division, 001:009 according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 001:010 The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 001:011 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 001:012 Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
001:013 But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 001:014 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth. 001:015 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 001:016 He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord, their God.
001:017 He will go before him in the spirit and 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." 001:018 Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years." 001:019 The angel answered him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
001:020 Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time." 001:021 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. 001:022 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
001:023 It happened, when the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 001:024 After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 001:025 "Thus has the Lord done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men." 001:026 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 001:027 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David.
The virgin's name was Mary. 001:028 Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!" 001:029 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 001:030 The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
001:031 Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and will call his name 'Jesus.' 001:032 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father, David, 001:033 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever.
There will be no end to his Kingdom." 001:034 Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?" 001:035 The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. 001:036 Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
001:037 For everything spoken by God is possible." 001:038 Mary said, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from her. 001:039 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, 001:040 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 001:041 It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
001:042 She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 001:043 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 001:044 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 001:045 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!" 001:046 Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord.
001:047 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior, 001:048 for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed. 001:049 For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name. 001:050 His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him. 001:051 He has shown strength with his arm. He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. 001:052 He has put down princes from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.
001:053 He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty. 001:054 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy, 001:055 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his seed forever." 001:056 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house. 001:057 Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son.
001:058 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her. 001:059 It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father. 001:060 His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John." 001:061 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." 001:062 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
001:063 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John." They all marveled. 001:064 His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 001:065 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. 001:066 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him.
001:067 His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 001:068 "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people; 001:069 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 001:070 (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), 001:071 salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; 001:072 to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, 001:073 the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father, 001:074 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear, 001:075 In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
001:076 And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways, 001:077 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, 001:078 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us, 001:079 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace." 001:080 The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.