1: Luke commendeth the witnesses that saw this
history.
a: Many took it in hand, but did not perform: Luke wrote his gospel
before Matthew and Mark.
b: Luke was not an eye witness, and therefore it was not he, to whom
the Lord appeared when Cleopas saw him: and he was taught not only by
Paul, but by others of the apostle also.
c: It is most mighty, and therefore Theophilus was a very honourable
man, and in place of great dignity.
d: Luke began his gospel a great deal further off then the others
did.
e: Have fuller knowledge of those things, which before thou knewest
but meanly.
2: John who was another Elijah, and appointed to be herald of Christ,
coming of the stock of Aaron, and of two famous and blameless
parents, hath showed in his conception, which was against the course
of nature, a double miracle, to the end that men should be more
readily stirred up to the hearing of his preaching, according to the
forewarning of the prophets.
f: Word for word, in the days: so speak the Hebrews, giving us to
understand, how short and frail a thing the power of princes is.
g: Herod the great.
*: 1 Chronicles 24:1
h: For the posterity of Aaron was divided into courses.
i: The true mark of righteousness is, to be liked and allowed of in
the judgement of God.
j: Lived, so speak the Hebrews, for our life is as a way, wherein we
must walk, until we come to the mark.
k: In all the moral and ceremonial law.
l: Whom no man could justly reprove: now so it is, that the fruits of
justification are set forth here, and not the cause, which is faith
only, and nothing else.
*: Exodus 30:7
m: The temple was one, and the court another, for Zachariah went out
of the court, or outward room, where all the people were, and
therefore are said to be without, into the temple.
*: Leviticus 16:17
n: So speak the Hebrews, when is signified a rare kind of excellency:
so it is said of Nimrod, Genesis 10:9, He was a valiant hunter before
God.
o: Any drink that may make drunken.
*: Malachi 4:5
p: Shall be a means to bring many to repentance, and turn themselves
to the Lord, from whom they fell.
*: Matthew 11:14
q: As they use to go before kings, and when you see them, you know
the king is not far off.
r: This is spoken by the figure Metonymy, taking the spirit, for the
gift of the spirit, as you would say, the cause for that that commeth
of the cause.
s: By the figure synecdoche, he showeth that he shall take away all
kinds of enmities, which use to breed great troubles and turmoils
amongst men.
t: Wisdom and goodness are two of the chiefest causes which make man
to reverence, and honour their fathers.
u: That appear, for so the Hebrews use this word (to stand) meaning
that they are ready to do his commandment.
3: The angel serving the Lord which should be born, is sent to the
virgin Mary, in whom the son of the most high promised to David, is
conceived by the virtue of the Holy Ghost.
*: Matthew 1:18
v: As much is to be said of Mary, otherwise Christ had not been of
the stock, nor the son of David.
w: It might be rendered word for word, full of favour and grace, and
he showeth straight after, laying out plainly unto us, what that
favour is, in that he saith, The Lord is with thee.
x: Of God.
y: Moved at the strangeness of the matter.
z: So spake the Hebrews, saying that men have found favour: which are
not in favour.
*: Isaiah 7:14
*: Chapter 2:21 Matthew 1:21
a: He shall be declared so to be, for he was the Son of God from
everlasting, but was made manifest in the flesh in his time.
*: Daniel 7:14,27 Micah 4:7
b: The greatness of the matter causeth the virgin to ask this
question, not that she distrusteth any whit at all, for she asketh
only of the manner of the conceiving, so that it is plain, she
believed all the rest.
c: So speak the Hebrews, signifying by this modest kind of speech the
company of man and wife together, and this is the meaning of it: how
shall this be, for seeing I shall be Christ's mother, I am very sure,
I shall not know any man: for the godly virgin had learned by the
prophets, that the Messiah should be born of a virgin.
d: That is, the Holy Ghost shall cause thee to conceive by his mighty
power.
e: That pure thing and void of all spot of uncleanness: for he that
was to take away sin, must needs be void of sin.
f: Declared and showed to the world to be the Son of God.
g: Though Elizabeth were of the tribe of Levi, yet she might be
Mary's cousin: for whereas it was forbidden by the law, for maiden to
be married to men of other tribes, this could not let, but that the
Levites might take them wives out of any tribe: for the Levite had no
portion allotted them, when the land was divided among the people.
h: This is now the sixth month from the time when she conceived.
4: Elizabeth being great with child of John, and Mary with Christ, by
the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, do rejoice each for other.
i: Which is on the South side of Jerusalem.
j: That is to say, Hebron: which was in times past called Kiriath-
Arba: which was one of the towns that were given to the Levites, in
the tribe of Judah, and is said to be in the mountains of Judah,
Joshua 14:15 and 21:11.
k: This was no ordinance nor usual kind of moving.
l: Christ is blessed in respect of his humanity.
5: Christ the redeemer of the afflicted, and revenger of the proud,
of long time promised to the fathers, is now at length exhibited
indeed.
m: Hath freely and graciously loved.
n: Word for word, My baseness, that is, my base estate: so that the
virgin vaunteth not her deserts, but the grace of God.
o: To them that live godly and religiously, so speak the Hebrews.
*: Isaiah 51:9 Psalms 33:10
p: This is an heaping up of words more then needs, which the Hebrews
are very much, and the arm is taken for strength.
*: Isaiah 19:15
q: Even as the wind doeth the chaff.
r: He hath scattered them, and the imagination of their hearts: or by
and through the imagination of their own hearts: so that their wicked
council turned to their own destruction.
*: 1 Samuel 2:6
s: The mighty and rich men.
t: Such as none account is made of, and are vile in men's eyes, which
are indeed the poor in spirit, that is, such as challenge nothing to
themselves in the sight of God.
*: Psalms 34:10
u: Them that are brought to extreme poverty.
v: He hath holpen us Israel with his arm, being clean cast down.
*: Isaiah 30:18 and 41:8 and 54:5 Jeremiah 31:3,20
*: Genesis 17:19 and 22:17 Psalms 132:11
w: Promised.
6: John's nativity is set out with new miracles.
*: Verse 14
||: Was restored to its former state, is read in some copies.
x: All this that was said and done.
y: Thought upon them diligently and earnestly, and as it were,
printed them in their hearts.
z: That is, the present favour of God, and a singular kind of virtue
appeared in him.
7: John yet scarce born, by the authority of the Holy Ghost, is
appointed to his office.
a: That he hath showed himself mindful of his people, insomuch that
he came down from heaven himself to visit us in person, and to redeem
us.
*: Chapter 2:30 Matthew 1:21
b: Hath paid the ransom, that is to say, the price of our
redemption.
*: Psalm 132:18
c: This word horn, in the Hebrew tongue signifieth might, and it is a
metaphor, taken from beasts, that fight with their horns: And by
raising up the might of Israel, is meant, that the kingdom of Israel
was defended, and the enemies thereof laid on the ground, even then
when the strength of Israel seemed to be utterly decayed.
*: Jeremiah 23:6 and 30:10
d: Declare indeed that he was mindful.
*: Genesis 22:16 Jeremiah 31:33 Hebrews 6:13,17
*: 1 Peter 1:15
e: To God's good liking.
f: Though thou be at this present never so little.
g: Open the way.
h: Forgiveness of sins, is the means whereby God saveth us, Romans
4:7.
*: Zachariah 3:8 and 6:12 Malachi 4:2
i: Or, bud, or branch, he alludeth unto the places in Jeremiah 23:5
Zachariah 3:8 and 6:2, and he is called a bud from on high, that is
sent from God unto us, and not as other buds which bud out of the
earth.
j: Into the way which leadeth us to true happiness.
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Chapter 1
1. Luke's preface. 5. Zachariah and Elizabeth. 15. What an one
John should be. 20. The angel saluteth Mary, and foretelleth Christ's
nativity. 39 Mary visiteth Elizabeth. 46. Mary's song. 68. The song
of Zachariah, showing that the promised Christ is come. 76. The
office of John.
Forasmuch as 1 many have
a taken in hand to set forth the story of
those things, whereof we are fully persuaded,
2 b As they
have delivered them unto us, which from the beginning saw them
themselves, and were ministers of the word,
3 It seemed good also to me (c most noble Theophilus) as soon as I had searched
out perfectly all things d from the
beginning, to write unto thee thereof from point to point,
4 That thou mightest e acknowledge the certainty of those things,
whereof thou hast been instructed.
5 In 2 the
f time of g Herod
king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zachariah,
of the *h course of Abia: and his wife
was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was
Elizabeth.
6 Both were i
just before God, and j walked in all the
k commandments and ordinances of the Lord,
l without reproof.
7 And they had no child, because that
Elizabeth was barren: and both were well stricken in age.
8 And it came to pass, as he executed
the priest's office before God, as his course came in order,
9 * According to the custom of the
Priest's office, his lot was to burn incense, when he went into the
m temple of the Lord.
10 And the whole multitude of the
people were without in prayer, * while the incense was burning.
11 Then appeared unto him an angel of
the Lord standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12 And when Zachariah saw
him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
13 But the angel said unto him, Fear
not, Zachariah: for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth
shall bear 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 n sight of the Lord, and shall neither drink wine,
nor o 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 p turn to the Lord their
God.
17 * For he shall go q before him r in the
spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the s
hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the
t wisdom of the just men, to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord.
18 Then Zachariah said unto the
angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is
of a great age.
19 And the angel answered, and said
unto him, I am Gabriel that u stand in the
presence of God, and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee
these good tidings.
20 And behold, thou shalt be dumb,
and not be able to speak, until the day that these things be done,
because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in
their season.
21 Now the people waited for
Zachariah and marvelled that he tarried so long in the Temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not
speak unto them: then they perceived that he had seen a vision in the
Temple: For he made signs unto them, and remained dumb.
23 And it came to pass, when the days
of his office were fulfilled, that he departed to his own house.
24 And after those days, his wife
Elizabeth 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 from me my
rebuke among men.
26 ¶ 3 And
in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city
of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27 * To a virgin affianced to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the v
house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And the angel went in unto her,
and said, Hail thou that art w freely beloved: the Lord is with thee:
x blessed art thou among women.
29 And when she saw him, she
was y troubled at his saying, and thought
what manner of salutation that should be.
30 Then the angel said unto her, Fear
not, Mary: for thou hast z found favour with
God.
31 * For lo, thou shalt conceive in
thy womb, and bear a son, * and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
32 He shall be great, and shall be
a called the Son of the most High, 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 shall be none end.
34 Then said Mary unto the angel,
b How shall this be, c seeing I know not man?
35 And the angel answered, and said
unto her, The Holy Ghost d shall come upon
thee, and the power of the most high shall overshadow thee: therefore
also that e holy thing which shall be born
of thee, shall be f called the Son of God.
36 And behold, thy g cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son
in her old age: and this is her h sixth
month, which was called barren.
37 For with God shall nothing be
impossible.
38 Then Mary said, Behold the servant
of the Lord: be it unto me according to thy word. So the angel
departed from her.
39 ¶4 And
Mary arose in those days, and went into the i hill country with haste to a j city of Judah,
40 And entered into the house of
Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth.
41 And it came to pass, as Elizabeth
heard the salutation of Mary, the babe k
sprang in her belly, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.
42 And she cried with a loud voice,
and said, Blessed art thou among women, because l the fruit of thy womb is blessed.
43 And whence commeth 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 sprang in my belly for
joy.
45 And blessed is she that
believed: for those things shall be performed, which were told her
from the Lord.
46 5 Then
Mary said, My soul magnifieth the Lord,
47 And my spirit rejoiceth in God my
saviour.
48 For he hath m looked on the n poor
degree of his servant: for behold, from henceforth shall all ages
call me blessed,
49 Because he that is mighty, hath
done for me great things, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is from
generation to generation on them o that fear
him.
51 * He hath showed strength with his
p arm: * he hath q
scattered the proud in the r imagination of
their hearts.
52 * He hath s put down the mighty from their seats,
and exalted them of t low degree.
53 * He hath filled the u hungry with good things, and sent away the rich
empty.
54 v*He hath
upholden Israel his servant to be mindful of his mercy,
55 (*As he hath w spoken to our fathers, to wit, to
Abraham, and his seed) for ever.
56 ¶ And Mary abode with her about
three months: after she returned to her own house.
57 ¶ Now Elizabeth's time was
fulfilled, that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
58 And her neighbours and cousins
heard tell how the Lord had showed his great mercy upon her, and they
* rejoiced with her.
59 And it was so that on the eighth
day they came to circumcise the babe, and called his Zachariah after
the name of his father.
60 But 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 named with this name.
62 Then they made signs to his
father, how he would have him called.
63 So he asked for writing tables,
and wrote, saying, His name is John, and they marvelled all.
64 And his mouth was opened
immediately, and his tongue, || and he spake and praised God.
65 Then fear come on all them that
dwelt near unto them, and all x these words
were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea,
66 And all they that heard them,
y laid them up in their hearts,
saying, What manner child shall this be! and the z hand of the Lord was with him.
67 7 Then
his father Zachariah was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied,
saying,
68 Blessed be the Lord God
of Israel, because he hath a visited * and
b redeemed his people,
69 * And hath raised up the c horn of salvation unto us, in the house of his
servant David,
70 * As he spake by the mouth of his
holy prophets, which were since the world began, saying,
71 That he would send us
deliverance from our enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us,
72 That he might show mercy towards
our fathers, and d remember his holy
covenant,
73 * And the oath which he
swore to our father Abraham.
74 Which was, that he would
grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our
enemies, should serve him without fear,
75 All the days of our life, in *
holiness and righteousness e before him.
86 And thou f babe, shalt be called the prophet of the most
High: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his
ways,
77 And to g give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by
the h remission of their sins,
78 Through the tender mercy of our
God, whereby * the i day spring from on high
hath visited us,
79 To give light to them that sit in
darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the
j way of peace.
80 And the child grew, and waxed
strong in spirit, and was in the wilderness, till the day came that
he should show himself unto Israel.
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