Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Luke Part 1

Weymouth New Testament in Modern Speech, Luke.

by R F Weymouth.

Book 42 Luke

001:001 Seeing that many have attempted to draw up a narrative of the facts which are received with full a.s.surance among us 001:002 on the authority of those who were from the beginning eye-witnesses and were devoted to the service of the divine Message, 001:003 it has seemed right to me also, after careful investigation of the facts from their commencement, to write for you, most n.o.ble Theophilus, a connected account, 001:004 that you may fully know the truth of the things which you have been taught by word of mouth.

001:005 There was in the time of Herod, the king of Judaea, a priest of the name of Zechariah, belonging to the cla.s.s of Abijah.

He had a wife who was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

001:006 They were both of them upright before G.o.d, blamelessly obeying all the Lord's precepts and ordinances.

001:007 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren; and both of them were far advanced in life.

001:008 Now while he was doing priestly duty before G.o.d in the prescribed course of his cla.s.s, 001:009 it fell to his lot--according to the custom of the priesthood-- to go into the Sanctuary of the Lord and burn the incense; 001:010 and the whole mult.i.tude of the people were outside praying, at the hour of incense.

001:011 Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense; 001:012 and Zechariah on seeing him was agitated and terrified.

001:013 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your pet.i.tion has been heard: and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call his name John.

001:014 Gladness and exultant joy shall be yours, and many will rejoice over his birth.

001:015 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; no wine or fermented drink shall he ever drink; but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth.

001:016 Many of the descendants of Israel will he turn to the Lord their G.o.d; 001:017 and he will be His forerunner in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn fathers' hearts to the children, and cause the rebellious to walk in the wisdom of the upright, to make a people perfectly ready for the lord."

001:018 "By what proof," asked Zechariah, "shall I know this?

For I am an old man, and my wife is far advanced in years."

001:019 "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of G.o.d,"

answered the angel, "and I have been sent to talk with you and tell you this good news.

001:020 And now you will be dumb and unable to speak until the day when this has taken place; because you did not believe my words-- words which will be fulfilled at their appointed time."

001:021 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were surprised that he stayed so long in the Sanctuary.

001:022 When, however, he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they knew that he must have seen a vision in the Sanctuary; but he kept making signs to them and continued dumb.

001:023 When his days of service were at an end, he went to his home; 001:024 and in course of time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and kept herself secluded five months.

001:025 "Thus has the Lord dealt with me," she said, "now that He has graciously taken away my reproach among men."

001:026 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from G.o.d to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 001:027 to a maiden betrothed to a man of the name of Joseph, a descendant of David. The maiden's name was Mary.

001:028 So Gabriel went into the house and said to her, "Joy be to you, favoured one! the Lord is with you."

001:029 She was greatly agitated at his words, and wondered what such a greeting meant.

001:030 But the angel said, "Do not be frightened, Mary, for you have found favour with G.o.d.

001:031 You will conceive in your womb and bear a son; and you are to call His name JESUS.

001:032 He will be great and He will be called 'Son of the Most High.'

And the Lord G.o.d will give Him the throne of His forefather David; 001:033 and He will be King over the House of Jacob for the Ages, and of His Kingdom there will be no end."

001:034 "How can this be," Mary replied, "seeing that I have no husband?"

001:035 The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for this reason your holy offspring will be called 'the Son of G.o.d.'

001:036 And see, your relative Elizabeth--she also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

001:037 For no promise from G.o.d will be impossible of fulfilment."

001:038 "I am the Lord's maidservant," Mary replied; "may it be with me in accordance with your words!" And then the angel left her.

001:039 Not long after this, Mary rose up and went in haste into the hill country to a town in Judah.

001:040 Here she came to the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth; 001:041 and as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the babe leapt within her. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 001:042 and uttered a loud cry of joy. "Blest among women are you,"

she said, "and the offspring of your body is blest!

001:043 But why is this honour done me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

001:044 For, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the babe within me leapt for joy.

001:045 And blessed is she who has believed, for the word spoken to her from the Lord shall be fulfilled."

001:046 Then Mary said: "My soul extols the Lord, 001:047 And my spirit triumphs in G.o.d my Saviour; 001:048 Because He has not turned from His maidservant in her lowly position; For from this time forward all generations will account me happy, 001:049 Because the mighty One has done great things for me-- Holy is His name!-- 001:050 And His compa.s.sion is, generation after generation, Upon those who fear Him.

001:051 He has manifested His supreme strength. He has scattered those who were haughty in the thoughts of their hearts.

001:052 He has cast monarchs down from their thrones, And exalted men of low estate.

001:053 The hungry He has satisfied with choice gifts, But the rich He has sent empty-handed away.

001:054 His servant Israel He has helped, Remembering His compa.s.sion-- 001:055 In fulfillment of His promises to our forefathers--For Abraham and his posterity for ever."

001:056 So Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned home.

001:057 Now when Elizabeth's full time was come, she gave birth to a son; 001:058 and her neighbours and relatives heard how the Lord had had great compa.s.sion on her; and they rejoiced with her.

001:059 And on the eighth day they came to circ.u.mcise the child, and were going to call him Zechariah, after his father.

001:060 His mother, however, said, "No, he is to be called John."

001:061 "There is not one of your family," they said, "who has that name."

001:062 They asked his father by signs what he wished him to be called.

001:063 So he asked for a writing-tablet, and wrote, "His name is John."

And they all wondered.

001:064 Instantly his mouth and his tongue were set free, and he began to speak and bless G.o.d.

001:065 And all who lived round about them were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judaea reports of all these things were spread abroad.

001:066 All who heard the story treasured it in their memories.

"What then will this child be?" they said. For the lord's hand was indeed with him.

001:067 And Zechariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke in a rapture of praise.

001:068 "Blessed be the Lord, the G.o.d of Israel," he said, "Because He has not forgotten His people but has effected redemption for them, 001:069 And has raised up a mighty Deliverer for us In the house of David His servant-- 001:070 As He has spoken from all time by the lips of His holy Prophets-- 001:071 To deliver us from our foes and from the power of all who hate us.

001:072 He dealt pitifully with our forefathers, And remembered His holy covenant, 001:073 The oath which He swore to Abraham our forefather, 001:074 To grant us to be rescued from the power of our foes And so render wors.h.i.+p to Him free from fear, 001:075 In piety and uprightness before Him all our days.

001:076 And you moreover, O child, shall be called Prophet of the Most High; For you shall go on in front before the Lord to prepare the way for Him, 001:077 To give to His People a knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins, 001:078 Through the tender compa.s.sion of our G.o.d, Through which the daybreak from on high will come to us, 001:079 Dawning on those who now dwell in the darkness and shadow of death-- To direct our feet into the path of peace."

001:080 And the child grew and became strong in character, and lived in the Desert till the time came for him to appear publicly to Israel.

002:001 Just at this time an edict was issued by Caesar Augustus for the registration of the whole Empire.

002:002 It was the first registration made during the governors.h.i.+p of Quirinius in Syria; 002:003 and all went to be registered--every one to the town to which he belonged.

002:004 So Joseph went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judaea, to David's town of Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 002:005 to have himself registered together with Mary, who was betrothed to him and was with child.

002:006 But while they were there, her full time came, 002:007 and she gave birth to her first-born son, and wrapped Him round, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

002:008 Now there were shepherds in the same part of the country, keeping watch over their sheep by night in the open fields, 002:009 when suddenly an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone round them; and they were filled with terror.

002:010 But the angel said to them, "Put away all fear; for I am bringing you good news of great joy--joy for all the People.

002:011 For a Saviour who is the Anointed Lord is born to you to-day, in the town of David.

002:012 And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger."

002:013 And immediately there was with the angel a mult.i.tude of the army of Heaven praising G.o.d and saying, 002:014 "Glory be to G.o.d in the highest Heavens, And on earth peace among men who please Him!"

002:015 Then, as soon as the angels had left them and returned to Heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go over as far as Bethlehem and see this that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us."

002:016 So they made haste and came and found Mary and Joseph, with the babe lying in the manger.

002:017 And when they saw the child, they told what had been said to them about Him; 002:018 and all who listened were astonished at what the shepherds told them.

002:019 But Mary treasured up all these things, often dwelling on them in her mind.

002:020 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising G.o.d for all that they had heard and seen in accordance with the announcement made to them.

002:021 When eight days had pa.s.sed and the time for circ.u.mcising Him had come, He was called JESUS, the name given Him by the angel before His conception in the womb.

002:022 And when the days for their purification appointed by the Law of Moses had pa.s.sed, they took Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord-- 002:023 as it is written in the Law of the Lord: "Every first-born male shall be called holy to the Lord."

002:024 And they also offered a sacrifice as commanded in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons."

002:025 Now there was a man in Jerusalem of the name of Symeon, an upright and G.o.d-fearing man, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

002:026 To him it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death until he had seen the Lord's Anointed One.

002:027 Led by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do with regard to Him according to the custom of the Law, 002:028 he took Him up in his arms and blessed G.o.d and said, 002:029 "Now, O Sovereign Lord, Thou dost send Thy servant away in peace, in fulfilment of Thy word, 002:030 Because mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, 002:031 Which Thou hast made ready in the sight of all nations-- 002:032 A light to s.h.i.+ne upon the Gentiles, And the glory of Thy people Israel."

002:033 And while the child's father and mother were wondering at the words of Symeon concerning Him, 002:034 Symeon blessed them and said to Mary the mother, "This child is appointed for the falling and the uprising of many in Israel and for a token to be spoken against; 002:035 and a sword will pierce through your own soul also; that the reasonings in many hearts may be revealed."

002:036 There was also Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, belonging to the tribe of Asher. She was of a very great age, having had after her maidenhood seven years of married life, 002:037 and then being a widow of eighty-four years. She was never absent from the Temple, but wors.h.i.+pped, by day and by night, with fasting and prayer.

002:038 And coming up just at that moment, she gave thanks to G.o.d, and spoke about the child to all who were expecting the deliverance of Jerusalem.

002:039 Then, as soon as they had accomplished all that the Law required, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth.

002:040 And the child grew and became strong and full of wisdom, and the favour of G.o.d rested upon Him.

002:041 Now His parents used to go up year by year to Jerusalem at the Feast of the Pa.s.sover.

002:042 And when He was twelve years old they went up as was customary at the time of the Feast, and, 002:043 after staying the full number of days, when they started back home the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem.

His parents did not discover this, 002:044 but supposing Him to be in the travelling company, they proceeded a day's journey. Then they searched up and down for Him among their relatives and acquaintances; 002:045 but being unable to find Him they returned to Jerusalem, making anxious inquiry for Him.

002:046 On the third day they found Him in the Temple sitting among the Rabbis, both listening to them and asking them questions, 002:047 while all who heard Him were astonished at His intelligence and at the answers He gave.

002:048 When they saw Him, they were smitten with amazement, and His mother said to Him, "My child, why have you behaved thus to us?

Your father and I have been searching for you in anguish."

002:049 "Why is it that you have been searching for me?" He replied; "did you not know that it is my duty to be engaged upon my Father's business?"

002:050 But they did not understand the significance of these words.