This eBook was produced by David Widger
with the help of Derek Andrew's text from January 1992and the work of Bryan Taylor in November 2002.
42:001:001 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
42:001:002 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
42:001:003 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,
42:001:004 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.
42:001:005 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.
42:001:006 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
42:001:007 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and
they both were now well stricken in years.
42:001:008 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's
office before God in the order of his course,
42:001:009 According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to
burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
42:001:010 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at
the time of incense.
42:001:011 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on
the right side of the altar of incense.
42:001:012 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell
upon him.
42:001:013 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.
42:001:014 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
42:001:015 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.
42:001:016 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
42:001:017 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.
42:001:018 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
42:001:019 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Ga