THE

TESTIMONY

OF

LUKE,

THE EVANGELIST.

[FIRST PUBLISHED IN GREECE, A. D. 64.]

LUKE'S PREFACE:

I-FORASMUCH as many have undertaken to compose a narrative 2 of those things, which have been accomplished amongst us, as they who were, from the beginning, eye-witnesses, and afterwards ministers of the 3 word, delivered them to us; I have also determined, having exactly traced every thing from the first, to write a particular account to you, most 4 excellent Theophilus; that you may know the certainty of those matters wherein you have been instructed."

SECTION I.

The Annunciation.

IN the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah; and his wife, named Elizabeth, was of the 6 daughters of Aaron. They were both righteous before God, blameless 7 observers of all the Lord's commandments and ordinances. And they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

8 Now when he came to officiate as priest in the order of his course, it 9 fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to offer in10 cense in the sanctuary. And while the incense was burning, the whole 11 congregation were praying without. Then there appeared to him an 12 angel of the Lord, s'anding on the right side of the altar of incense. And 13 Zacharias was discomposed at the sight, and in great terror. But the angel said to him, Fear not, Zacharias; for your prayer is heard, and Elizabeth your wife shall bear you a son, whom you shall name John. 14 He shall be to you matter of joy and transport; and many shall rejoice 15 because of his birth. For he shall be great before the Lord; he shall not

drink wine, nor any fermented liquor; but he shall be filled with the 16 Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And many of the sons of Israel 17 he shall bring back to the Lord their God. Moreover, he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to reconcile fathers to their chil dren, and, by the wisdom of the righteous, to render the disobedient a 18 people, well disposed for the Lord. And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this: for I am an old man, and my wife is advan 19 ced in years? The angel answering, said to him, I am Gabriel, who attend in the presence of God, and am sent to tell you this joyful news.

20 But know that you shall be dumb, and shall not recover your speech, till the day when these things happen, because you have not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in due time.

21

Meanwhile, the people waited for Zacharias, and wondered that he 22 staid so long in the sanctuary. But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the sanetuary; for he made them understand by signs, and remained speechless. 23. And when his days of officiating were expired, he returned home. Soon after, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and lived in retirement five months, 25 and said. The Lord has done this for me, purposing now to deliver me from the reproach I lay under among men.

26 Now, in the sixth month, God sent Gabriel his angel, to Nazareth, 27 a city of Galilee; to a virgin betrothed to a man called Joseph, of the 28 house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. When the angel en

tered, he said to her, Hail, favorite of heaven! the Lord be with you, 29 happiest of women! At his appearance and words she was perplexed, 30 and revolved in her mind, what this salutation could mean. And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor with 31 God. And behold, you shall conceive and bear a son, whom you shall 32 name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the High

est. And the Lord God will give him the throne of David his Father. 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever: his reign shall 31 never end. Then said Mary to the angel, How shall this be, since I 15 have no intercourse with man? The angel answering, said to her, The

Holy Spirit will descend upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore the holy progeny shall be called the Son of 36 God. And lo! your cousin Elizabeth also has conceived a son in her old 37 age; and she who is called barren, is now in her sixth month; for noth38 ing is impossible with God. And Mary said, Behold the bandmaid of the Lord. Be it to me according to your word. Then the angel depar

ted.

39 In those days Mary set out, and travelled expeditiously into the hill 40 country, to a city of Judah; where having entered the house of Zacha41 rias, she saluted Elizabeth. As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's saluta

tion, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the 42 Holy Spirit, and cried with a loud voice, You are the most blessed of 43 women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But how have I deserved 44 this honor, to be visited by the mother of my Lord! for know, that as

soon as the sound of your salutation reached my ears, the babe leaped in 45 my womb for joy. And happy is she who believed, that the things, which the Lord has promised her, shall be performed.

46 Then Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices 48 in God my Saviour; because he has not disdained the low condition of his handmaid, for henceforth, all posterity will pronounce me happy. 49 For the Almighty, whose name is venerable, has done wonders for me. 50 His mercy on them who fear him, extends to generations of generations. 51 He displays the strength of his arm, and dispels the vain imaginations of 52 the proud. He pulls down potentates from their thrones, and exalts the 53 lowly. The needy he loads with benefits; but the rich he spoils of every 54-thing. He supports Israel his servant, (as he promised to our fathers,) 16 ever inclined to mercy towards Abraham and his race. And Mary, after staying with Elizabeth about three months, returned home.

SECTION II.
The Nativity.

57 WHEN the time for Elizabeth's delivery was come, she brought forth 58 a son; and her neighbors and relations who heard, that the Lord had 59 shown her great kindness, rejoiced with her. And, on the eighth day, when they came to the circumcision of the child, they would have him

60 called by his father's name, Zacharias. And his mother interposed, may61 ing, No; but he shall be called John. They said to her, There is none 62 of your kindred of that name. They, therefore, asked his father by 63 signs, how he would have him called. He, having demanded a table64 book, wrote upon it, His name is John, which surprised them all. And his mouth was opened directly, and his tongue loosed. And he spoke, 65 praising God. Now all in the neighborhood were struck with awe; and the fame of these things spread throughout all the bill country of Juden. 66 And all who heard these things, pondering them in their bearts, said, What will this child hereafter be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67 Then Zacharias, his father, being filled with the Holy Spirit, proph68 esied, saying, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, because be has vis 69 ited and redeemed his people; and (as anciently he promised by his holy

prophets) has raised a Prince for our deliverance in the house of David 70 his servant;-for our deliverance from our enemies, and from the hands 72 of all who hate us; in kindness to our forefathers and remembrance of 73 his holy institution, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, to 74 grant to us, that being rescued out of the hands of our enemies, we 75 might serve him boldly, in piety and uprightness all our days. And you,

child, shall be called a Prophet of the Most High; for you shall go before 77 the Lord, to prepare his way, by giving the knowledge of salvation to 78 his people, in the remission of their sins, through the tender compas

sion of our God, who has caused a light to spring from on high to visit 79 us, to enlighten those who abide in darkness and in the shades of death; to direct our feet into the way of peace.

30

Meantime the child grew, and acquired strength of mind, and continued in the deserts, until the time when he made himself known to Israel.

II.-About that time, Cesar Augustus issued an edict that all the in2 habitants of the empire should be registered. (This first register took 3 effect, when Cyrenius was president of Syria.) When all went to be 4 registered, every one to his own city, Joseph also went from Nazareth, a city of Galilee, to a city of David in Judea, called Bethlehem, (for he 6 was of the house and lineage of David,) to be registered, with Mary his 6 betrothed wife, who was pregnant. While they were there, the time 7 came, that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, and swathed him, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the house allotted to strangers.

8 Now there were shepherds in the fields in that country, who tended 9 their flocks by turns through the night watches. On a sudden an angel of the Lor stood by them, and a divine glory encompassed them with 10 light, and they were frightened exceedingly. But the angel said to them,

Fear not; for lo! I bring you good tidings, which shall prove matter of 11 great joy to all the people; because to-day is born to you, in the city of 12 David, a Saviour, who is the Lord Messiah. And by this you shall know 13 him; you shall find a babe in swaddling bands, lying in a manger. Instantly the angel was attended by a multitude of the heavenly host, who 14 praised God, saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, and good will amongst men.

15

And when the angels returned to heaven, having left the shepherds, these said one to another, Let us go to Bethlehem, and see this 16 which has happened, of which the Lord has informed us. And hastening thither, they found Mary and Joseph with the babe, who lay in the 17 manger. When they saw this, they published what had been imparted 18 to them, concerning this child. And all who heard it, wondered at the 19 things told them by the shepherds. But Mary let none of these things 20 escape unobserved, weighing every circumstance within herself. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all that they had heard and seen, agreeably to what had been declared to them.

21 On the eighth day, when the child was circumcised, they called him Jesus, the angel having given him that name, before his mother conceivea

22

him.

And when the time of their purification was expired, they carried him to Jerusalem, as the law of Moses appoints, to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the law of God, "Every male, who is the first born of 24 his mother, is consecrated to the Lord:") and to offer the sacrifice enjoined in the law, a pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.

25 Now there was at Jerusalem a man named Simeon, a just and a reli26 gious man, who expected the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him, and had revealed to him, that he should not die, until he 27 had seen the Lord's Messiah. This man came, guided by the Spirit, intc the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for 28 him what the law required, he took him into his arms, and blessed God 29 and said, Now, Lord, thou dost in peace dismiss thy servant, according 30 to thy word; for my eyes have seen the Saviour, whom thou hast provi 32 ded in the sight of all the world, a luminary to enlighten the nations, 33 and to be the glory of Israel thy people. And Joseph, and the mother 34 of Jesus, heard with admiration, the things spoken concerning him. And

Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, This child is destined for the fall and the rise of many in Israel, and to serve as a mark for 35 contradiction: (yes, your own soul shall be pierced as with a javelin;) that the thoughts of many hearts may be disclosed.

36

There was also a prophetess, Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, in an advanced age, who had lived seven years with a husband, 37 whom she married when a virgin; and being now a widow of about eighty-four years, departed not from the temple, but served God in pray38 er and fasting night and day; she also coming in at that instant, gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke concerning Jesus, to all those in Jerusalem, who expected redemption.

39

After they had performed every thing required by the law of the Lord, 40 they returned to Galilee, to their own city Nazareth. And the child grew, and acquired strength of mind, being filled with wisdom, and adorned with a divine gracefulness.

SECTION III.

The Immersion.

41 NOW, the parents of Jesus went yearly to Jerusalem at the feast of the 42 passover. And when he was twelve years old, they having gone thither, according to the usage of the festival, and remained the customary time; 48 being on their return, the child Jesus staid behind in Jerusalem, and 44 neither Joseph nor his mother knew it. They supposing him to be in the company, went a day's journey, and then sought him among their 45 relations and acquaintance; but not finding him, they returned to Jeru46 salem, seeking him. And after three days, they found him in the termple, sitting among the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them ques47 tions. And all who heard him, were amazed at his understanding and 48 answers, and they beheld him with astonishment. And his mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us thus? Behold, your father and I 49 have sought you with sorrow. He answered, Why did you seek me? 50 Did you not know that I must be in the courts of my Father? But they

did not comprehend his answer.

51 And he returned with them to Nazareth, and was subject to them. 52 And bis mother treasured up all these things in her memory. And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in power with God and man III.-Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, Pontius r late being procurator of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, Philip bis brother tetrarch of Iturea and the province of Trachonitis, and Lysa..as 2 tetrarch of Abilene; in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the

3 word of God came to John the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he went through all the country along the Jordan, publishing the immer. 4 sion of reformation for the remission of sins. As it is written in the book of the Prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one proclaiming in the wil derness, Prepare a way for the Lord, make for him a straight passage. 6 Let every valley be filled, every mountain and hill be levelled; let the 6 crooked roads be made straight, and the rough ways smooth, that all 7 flesh may see the salvation of God." Then said he to the multitudes, who flocked out to be immersed by him, Offspring of vipers, who has 8 prompted you to flee from the impending vengeance? Produce then the proper fruits of Reformation; and say not within yourselves, We have Abraham for a father; for I assure you, that of these stones God can 9 raise children to Abraham. And even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Every tree, therefore, which produces not good fruit, is cut down, and thrown into the fire.

10 Upon this the multitude asked him, What must we do then? He answered, Let him who has two coats, impart to him who has non" and 12 let him who has victuals do the same. There came also publicans to be 13 immersed, who said, Rabbi, what must we do? He answered, Exact no 14 more, than what is appointed you. Soldiers likewise asked him, And what must we do? He answered, Injure no man, either by violence, or false accusation, and be content with your allowance.

15

As the people were in suspense concerning John, every man imagining 16 within himself that he might be the Messiah, John addressed them all, saying, 1, indeed, immerse in water; but one mightier than I comes whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to untie; he will immerse you in the 17 Holy Spirit and fire: his winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his grain; he will gather the wheat into his granary, 18 and consume the chaff in unquenchable fire. And with many other exhortations, he published the good tidings to the people.

19 But Herod the tetrarch having been reproved by him, on account of Herodias his brother's wife, and for all the crimes which Herd bad 20 committed, added this to the number, that he confined John in prison. 21 Now when John immersed all the people, Jesus was likewise immer. 22 sed; and while he prayed, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in a bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my Son, the beloved; in thee I de 23 light. Now Jesus was himself about thirty years in subjection, being 24 (as was supposed) a son of Joseph, son of Heli, son of Matthat, son of 25 Levi, son of Melchi, son of Janna, son of Joseph, son of Mattathias, 26 son of Amos, son of Nahum, son of Esli, son of Naggai, son of Maath, 27 son of Mattathias, son of Shimei, son of Joseph, son of Judah, son of 28 Joanna, son of Reza, son of Zerubabel, son of Salathiel, son of Neri, 29 of Melchi, son of Addi, son of Cosam, son of Elmodam, son of Er, son 30 of Joses, son of Eliezer, son of Jorim, son of Matthat, son of Levi, sin of Simeon, son of Judah, son of Joseph, son of Jonan, son of Eliakim, 31 son of Meleah, son of Mainan, son of Mattatha, son of Nathan, son of 32 David, son of Jesse, son of Obed, son of Boaz, son of Salmon, son of 33 Nahshon, son of Amminadab, son of Ram, son of Hezron, son of Pha 34 rez, son of Judah, son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, son c 86 Terah, son of Nahor, son of Serug, son of Ragau, son of Peleg, son of 36 Eber, son of Salah, son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, sos 37 of Noah, son of Lamech, son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, 38 son of Mehalaleel, son of Cainan, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.

IV.-Now Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and 2 was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he continued forty days, and was tempted by the devil. Having eat nothing all that time, when 3 it was ended he was hungry: and the devil said to him, If thou be God's 4 Son, command this stone to become bread. Jesus answered him, saying