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 unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, 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 unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, |
4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. |
5 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. |
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 that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. |
8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, |
9 According to the custom of the priest's 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 unto 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. |
