1. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
2. Even as they delivered them to us, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers of the word;
3. It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
4. That thou mayest know the certainty of those things in which thou hast been instructed.
5. There was in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was 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 Elisabeth was barren, and they both were far advanced in years.
8. And it came to pass, that, while he executed the priests' office before God in the order of his course,
9. According to the custom of the priests' office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.
10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense.
11. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
12. And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.