Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and (41 Salome; who, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him; and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. (12) And when even was now come, because it was the Preparation, that is, 43) the day before the sabbath, there'

came Joseph of Arimathæa, lal councillor of honourable lestate, who also himself was looking! for the kingdom of God; and he' boldly went in unto Pilate, and asked for the body of 44 Jesus. And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. 45 And when he learned! it of the cen

turion, he granted the corpsel to 46 Joseph. And he bought a linen Icloth', and 'taking him down, 'wound' him in the linen cloth', and laid him in a 'tomb' which had been! hewn out of a rock; and he rolled a stone 47 against the door of the 'tomb'.

And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. 16(1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb 3 when the sun was risen!. And they Iwere saying! among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the 4 door of the 'tomb? and looking up', they see that the stone lis' rolled back for it was 'exceeding great. 5 And entering into the 'tomb', they saw a young man sitting on the right side, larrayed in a white robe'; and 6 they were amazed'. And he saith unto them, Be not 'amazed': ye seek Jesus, the Nazarene', which hath been' crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold, the place where they (7 laid him! But go, tell his disciples and Peter, He goeth before you into

1 Gr. little.

2 Many ancient authorities read were already dead.

The two oldest Greek manuscripts,

Galilee there shall ye see him, as he (8) said unto you. And they went out, and fled from the tomb'; for Itrembling and astonishment had come upon them: and they said nothing! to any lone'; for they were afraid.

9) Now when he was risen early 'on' the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, 'from whom (10 he had cast out seven devils. She went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. (11 And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, 'disbelieved'.

12 And after these things! he was manifested in another form unto two of them, as they walked, 'on their way! 13 into the country. And they went laway and told it unto the rest!: neither believed they them.

14 And afterward he was manifested' unto the eleven 'themselves' as they sat at meat; and 'he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into

all the world, and preach the gospel 16 to the whole creation'. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that 'disbelieveth' shall be 'con17 demned'. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in my name shall they cast out devils; they shall 18 speak with "new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise! hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19) So then the Lord Jesus', after he

had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the 20 right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed'. Amen.

11

FORASMUCH as many have taken in hand to draw up' a 'narrative concerning those matters! which have been 2 1fulfilled' among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses and min(3 isters of the word, it seemed good to me also, having 'traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write unto thee in order, most excel4 lent Theophilus; that thou mightest know the certainty concerning the 2things wherein thou 'wast' instructed.

(5

(8

THERE was in the days of Herod, king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of 'Abijah': and he had a wife 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.

Now it came to pass, while he executed the priest's office before God in 9) the order of his course, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of 10 the Lord 'and' burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of 11 incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12) And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy 'supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou 14 shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many 15 shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and The shall drink Ino wine nor strong

drink; and he shall be filled with the 'Holy Ghost, even from his mother's 16 womb. And many of the children of

Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their 17) God. And he shall go before 'his facel in the spirit and power of 'Elijah', to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared 18 for him. And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well 19 stricken in years. And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these 'good' 20 tidings. And behold, thou shalt be 'silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass', because thou 'believedst1 not my words, which shall be fulfilled in 21 their season. And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and 'they' marvelled while he tarried 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: and he continued making signs! (23 unto them, and remained 'dumb'. And it came to pass, 'when' the days of his ministration were fulfilled, he departed unto his house.

24) And after 'these' days Elisabeth his

wife conceived; and she hid herself 25 five months, saying, °Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked 'upon' me, to take away my reproach among men.

26

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city 27 of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. (28 And he came in unto her, and said,

8 Some ancient authorities read come nigh before his face.

9 Gr. advanced in her days. 10 Or, lat his tarrying

My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God

greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salu30 tation this might be. 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 32 shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne 33 of his father David: and he shall

reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall 34) be no end. And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know *(35) not a man? And the angel answered

and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee wherefore also "that which is to be born 'shall be called holy, the 36) Son of God. And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her 'that was 37 called barren. For no word from 38 God shall be void of power!. And

39

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

from her.

And Mary arose in 'these' days and went into the hill country with haste, 40 into a city of Judah; and entered into

the house of Zacharias and saluted (41 Elisabeth. And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy 42 Ghost; and she 'lifted up her voice with a loud cry', and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is 43 the fruit of thy womb. And whence

is this to me, that the mother of my 44 Lord should come 'unto me? °For "behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe 45 leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that 10believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her 46 from the Lord. And Mary said,

48

my Saviour.

°For he hath looked upon 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 unto generations and generations!

51

52

On them that fear him.

°He hath shewed strength with his

arm;

He hath scattered the proud 12in the imagination of their heart'.

°He hath put down princes' from their thrones',

And hath exalted them of low degree.

53) The hungry he hath filled with good things;

54)

(55

(56

57

And the rich he hath sent empty

And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned 'unto her house.

Now Elisabeth's time Iwas fulfilled! that she should be delivered; and she 58 brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her kinsfolk heard that' the Lord had 'magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with 59) her. And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name 60 of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall 61 be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that 62 is called by this name. And they

made signs to his father, what he 63 would have him called. And he

asked for a writing tablet', and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they 64 marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, blessing God.

8 Or, lis!

9 Gr. bondmaid.

10 Or, believed that there shall be 11 Gr. bondmaiden. 12 Or, byl

65 °And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the (66) hill country of Judæa. And all that heard them laid them up in their heart', saying, What 'then shall this child be? For 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, the God of Israel;

For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, 69 And hath raised up a 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 Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 °To shew mercy towards! fathers,

our

And to remember his holy covenant; 73) The oath which he sware 'untol Abraham our father,

74

(75)

To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies

Should serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76 Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways; 17 °To give knowledge of salvation unto his people

In the remission of their sins, 78 Because of the 1tender mercy of our God,

"Whereby the dayspring from on high 81shall visit us,

(79 To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace.

(2 be enrolled'. This was 'the' first enrolment made when Quirinius 3 was governor of Syria. And all went to enrol themselves', every one to 4 his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, 'to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and 5 'family' of David; to enrol himself1 with Mary, 'who was betrothed to him', 6 being great with child. And it came to pass', while they were there, the days were fulfilled' that she should be 7 delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8) And there were shepherds in the same country abiding in the field, and keeping watch by night over 9 their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: 10 and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Be' not 'afraid'; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the 11) people: for there is born to you this day in the city of David a Saviour, 12 which is Christ the Lord. And this

is the sign unto you; Ye shall find lal babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 13 and lying in a manger. "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 °Glory to God in the highest,

15

And on earth peace among men in whom he is well pleased'. And it came to pass, 'when' the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing 'that' is come to pass, which the Lord hath 16 made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying 17 in the manger. And when they

Isaw it, they made known concerning the saying which was 'spoken to (18 them about this child. And all that heard it wondered at 'the' things which

7 Many ancient authorities read peace, good pleasure among men. 8 Gr. men of good pleasure. 9 Or, Isaying!

were 'spoken unto them by the shep19 herds. But Mary kept all these

sayings, pondering them in her 20 heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, leven as it was 'spoken' unto them.

21

22

And when eight days were 'fulfilled' for circumcising him, his name was called JESUS, which was so 'called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days of their purification according to the law of Moses were 'fulfilled', they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the 23 Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the 24 Lord), and to offer a sacrifice accord

ing to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two 25 young pigeons. And behold, there

was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and 'this' man was 'righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy 26 Spirit was upon him. And it had been' revealed unto him by the Holy 'Spirit', that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, 'that they might do 'concerning him after the custom 28 of the law, then he 'received him linto his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29) Now lettest thou thy servant de

30

31

32

part, O Lord,

According to thy word, in peace;
"For mine eyes have seen thy salva-
tion,

"Which thou hast prepared before
the face of all 'peoples';
A light for revelation to the Gen-
tiles,

And the glory of thy people Israel. 33 And his father and his mother were marvelling' at 'the things which were 34 spoken 'concerning him; and Simeon

blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the 'falling and rising up of many in Israel; and for a sign which 'is

*37

(35 spoken against; yea and a sword shall pierce through 'thine' own soul; that thoughts out of many hearts 36 may be revealed. "And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of 'Asher (she was of a great age, 'having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, and she had been a widow leven for fourscore and four years), which departed not from the temple, Iworshipping with fastings and 'sup(38) plications' night and day. And coming up at that very hour she gave thanks unto God', and spake of him to all them that were looking for 39 the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had 'accomplished' all things that were according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

(40

41)

And the child grew, and waxed strong, "filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

And his parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the pass(42 over. And when he was twelve

years old, they went up after the cus(43) tom of the feast; and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his 'parents' 44) knew it not; but supposing him to 'bel in the company, they went a day's journey; and they sought 'for him. among their kinsfolk and acquaint45 ance: and when they found him not,

they returned to Jerusalem, seeking (46 for him. And it came to pass, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the "doctors, both hearing them, and asking 47 them questions: and all that heard

him were amazed at his understand(48 ing and his answers. And when they saw him, they were lastonished': and his mother said unto him, "Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I sought thee 49 sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be in my Father's 50 house? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and

51