book 1
1
提阿非羅大人哪、有好些人提筆作書、述說在我們中間所成就的事、是照傳道的人、從起初親眼看見、又傳給我們的.

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,

2
見上節

just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.

3
這些事我既從起頭都詳細考察了、就定意要按著次序寫給你、

Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

4
使你知道所學之道都是確實的。

so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

5
當猶太王希律的時候、亞比雅班裡有一個祭司、名叫撒迦利亞.他妻子是亞倫的後人、名叫以利沙伯。

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.

6
他們二人、在 神面前都是義人、遵行主的一切誡命禮儀、沒有可指摘的。

Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly.

7
只是沒有孩子、因為以利沙伯不生育、兩個人又年紀老邁了。

But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

8
撒迦利亞按班次、在 神面前供祭司的職分、

Once when Zechariah's division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

9
照祭司的規矩掣籤、得進主殿燒香。

he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10
燒香的時候、眾百姓在外面禱告。

And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11
有主的使者站在香壇的右邊、向他顯現。

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12
撒迦利亞看見、就驚慌害怕。

When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.

13
天使對他說、撒迦利亞、不要害怕.因為你的祈禱已經被聽見了、你的妻子以利沙伯要給你生一個兒子、你要給他起名叫約翰。

But the angel said to him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.

14
你必歡喜快樂.有許多人因他出世、也必喜樂。

He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,

15
他在主面前將要為大、淡酒濃酒都不喝、從母腹裡就被聖靈充滿了。

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth.

16
他要使許多以色列人回轉、歸於主他們的 神。

Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God.

17
他必有以利亞的心志能力、行在主的前面、叫為父的心轉向兒女、叫悖逆的人轉從義人的智慧.又為主豫備合用的百姓。

And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous--to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

18
撒迦利亞對天使說、我憑著甚麼可知道這事呢、我已經老了、我的妻子也年紀老邁了。

Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

19
天使回答說、我是站在 神面前的加百列、奉差而來、對你說話、將這好信息報給你。

The angel answered, "I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

20
到了時候、這話必然應驗.只因你不信、你必啞吧不能說話、直到這事成就的日子。

And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

21
百姓等候撒迦利亞、詫異他許久在殿裡。

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.

22
及至他出來、不能和他們說話.他們就知道他在殿裡見了異象.因為他直向他們打手式、竟成了啞吧。

When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23
他供職的日子已滿、就回家去了。

When his time of service was completed, he returned home.

24
這些日子以後、他的妻子以利沙伯懷了孕、就隱藏了五個月、

After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.

25
說、主在眷顧我的日子、這樣看待我、要把我在人間的羞恥除掉。

"The Lord has done this for me," she said. "In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

26
到了第六個月、天使加百列奉 神的差遣、往加利利的一座城去、這城名叫拿撒勒.

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

27
到一個童女那裡、是已經許配大衛家的一個人、名叫約瑟、童女的名字叫馬利亞。

to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.

28
天使進去、對他說、蒙大恩的女子、我問你安、主和你同在了。

The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."

29
馬利亞因這話就很驚慌、又反復思想這樣問安是甚麼意思。

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30
天使對他說、馬利亞、不要怕.你在 神面前已經蒙恩了。

But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God.

31
你要懷孕生子、可以給他起名叫耶穌。

You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

32
他要為大、稱為至高者的兒子.主 神要把他祖大衛的位給他.

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,

33
他要作雅各家的王、直到永遠.他的國也沒有窮盡。

and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

34
馬利亞對天使說、我沒有出嫁、怎麼有這事呢。

"How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

35
天使回答說、聖靈要臨到你身上、至高者的能力要蔭庇你.因此所要生的聖者、必稱為 神的兒子。〔或作所要生的必稱為聖稱為 神的兒子〕

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

36
況且你的親戚以利沙伯、在年老的時候、也懷了男胎.就是那素來稱為不生育的、現在有孕六個月了。

Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month.

37
因為出於 神的話、沒有一句不帶能力的。

For nothing is impossible with God."

38
馬利亞說、我是主的使女、情願照你的話成就在我身上。天使就離開他去了。

"I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her.

39
那時候馬利亞起身、急忙往山地裡去、來到猶大的一座城.

At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,

40
進了撒迦利亞的家、問以利沙伯安。

where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth.

41
以利沙伯一聽馬利亞問安、所懷的胎就在腹裡跳動、以利沙伯且被聖靈充滿.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42
高聲喊著說、你在婦女中是有福的、你所懷的胎也是有福的。

In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

43
我主的母到我這裡來、這是從那裡得的呢.

But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44
因為你問安的聲音、一入我耳、我腹裡的胎、就歡喜跳動。

As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.

45
這相信的女子是有福的.因為主對她所說的話、都要應驗。

Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!"

46
馬利亞說、我心尊主為大、

And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord

47
我靈以 神我的救主為樂。

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48
因為他顧念他使女的卑微.從今以後、萬代要稱我有福。

for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49
那有權能的為我成就了大事.他的名為聖。

for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name.

50
他憐憫敬畏他的人、直到世世代代。

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

51
他用膀臂施展大能.那狂傲的人、正心裡妄想、就被他趕散了。

He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52
他叫有權柄的失位、叫卑賤的升高.

He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

53
叫飢餓的得飽美食、叫富足的空手回去。

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

54
他扶助了他的僕人以色列、

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful

55
為要記念亞伯拉罕和他的後裔、施憐憫、直到永遠、正如從前對我們列祖所說的話。

to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers."

56
馬利亞和以利沙伯同住、約有三個月、就回家去了。

Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

57
以利沙伯的產期到了、就生了一個兒子。

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.

58
鄰里親族、聽見主向他大施憐憫、就和他一同歡樂。

Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59
到了第八日、他們來要給孩子行割禮.並要照他父親的名字、叫他撒迦利亞。

On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,

60
他母親說、不可.要叫他約翰。

but his mother spoke up and said, "No! He is to be called John."

61
他們說、你親族中沒有叫這名字的。

They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who has that name."

62
他們就向他父親打手式、問他要叫這孩子甚麼名字。

Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.

63
他要了一塊寫字的板、就寫上說、他的名字是約翰。他們便都希奇。

He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone's astonishment he wrote, "His name is John."

64
撒迦利亞的口立時開了、舌頭也舒展了、就說出話來、稱頌 神。

Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.

65
周圍居住的人都懼怕、這一切的事就傳遍了猶太的山地。

The neighbors were all filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.

66
凡聽見的人、都將這事放在心裡、說、這個孩子、將來怎麼樣呢.因為有主與他同在。

Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, "What then is this child going to be?" For the Lord's hand was with him.

67
他父親撒迦利亞、被聖靈充滿了、就豫言說、

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68
主以色列的 神、是應當稱頌的.因他眷顧他的百姓、為他們施行救贖.

"Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people.

69
在他僕人大衛家中、為我們興起了拯救的角、

He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David

70
(正如主藉著從創世以來、聖先知的口所說的話。)

(as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),

71
拯救我們脫離仇敵、和一切恨我們之人的手.

salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us--

72
向我們列祖施憐憫、記念他的聖約.

to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant,

73
就是他對我們祖宗亞伯拉罕所起的誓、

the oath he swore to our father Abraham:

74
叫我們既從仇敵手中被救出來、

to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear

75
就可以終身在他面前、坦然無懼的用聖潔公義事奉他。

in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

76
孩子阿、你要稱為至高者的先知.因為你要行在主的前面、豫備他的道路.

And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,

77
叫他的百姓因罪得赦、就知道救恩.

to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

78
因我們 神憐憫的心腸、叫清晨的日光從高天臨到我們、

because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven

79
要照亮坐在黑暗中死蔭裡的人.把我們的腳引到平安的路上。

to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace."

80
那孩子漸漸長大、心靈強健、住在曠野、直到他顯明在以色列人面前的日子。

And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.