Luke 1

Devotionals, Articles, and Bible Study Resources on Luke 1

1Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
3Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron.
6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.
8One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice at his birth,
15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.
16Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
17And 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“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19“I am Gabriel,” replied the angel. “I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day this comes to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he took so long in the temple.
22When he came out and was unable to speak to them, they realized he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them but remained speechless.
23And when the days of his service were complete, he returned home.
24After these days, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. She declared,
25“The Lord has done this for me. In these days He has shown me favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
27to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.
28The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
30So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
32He 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,
33and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”
34“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35The angel replied, “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.
36Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.
37For no word from God will ever fail.”
38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
39In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah,
40where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”
46Then Mary said:
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed.
49For the Mighty One has done great things for me.
Holy is His name.
50His mercy extends to those who fear Him,
from generation to generation.
51He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who are proud
in the thoughts of their hearts.
52He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
but has exalted the humble.
53He has filled the hungry with good things,
but has sent the rich away empty.
54He has helped His servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful,
55as He promised to our fathers,
to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
57When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son.
58Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.
59On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah.
60But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”
61They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.”
62So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.
63Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
64Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.
65All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events.
66And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
67Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
68“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
because He has visited and redeemed His people.
69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of His servant David,
70as He spoke through His holy prophets,
those of ages past,
71salvation from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us,
72to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember His holy covenant,
73the oath He swore to our father Abraham,
to grant us
74deliverance from hostile hands,
that we may serve Him without fear,
75in holiness and righteousness before Him
all the days of our lives.
76And you, child, will be called
a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord
to prepare the way for Him,
77to give to His people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the Dawn will visit us from on high,
79to shine on those who live in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet
into the path of peace.”
80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.
— Luke 1

Related Resources from Heartlight

A Burst of Praise
Illustration of Luke 1:46-56 NLT

Illustration of Luke 1:46-56 NLT -- [After Elizabeth's exclamation of how blessed Mary was,] Mary responded, "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever." Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

He Has Redeemed His People
Illustration of Luke 1:67-75 NLT

Illustration of Luke 1:67-75 NLT -- Then [John's] father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: "Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant — the covenant he swore with an oath to our ancestor Abraham. We have been rescued from our enemies so we can serve God without fear, in holiness and righteousness for as long as we live."

Do not be Afraid
Illustration of Luke 1:30-33

Inspirational illustration of Luke 1:30-33 -- The angel said to Mary, "Do not be afraid, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus.

He Has Done Great Things for Me!
Illustration of Luke 1:49-52 NLT

Illustration of Luke 1:49-52 NLT -- [Mary responded] “For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble."

A Gospel for God-seekers
Illustration of Luke 1:1-3 NLT

Illustration of Luke 1:1-3 NLT -- Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, most honorable Theophilus, ...

Faithfulness
Illustration of Luke 1:11-13 NLT

Illustration of Luke 1:11-13 NLT -- While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John."

Horn of Salvatioin
Illustration of Luke 1:68-70

Inspirational illustration of Luke 1:68-70 -- Praise be to the Lord, God of Israel, because he has come and has redeemed his people. He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he said through his holy prophets long a

My Soul Praises the Lord
Illustration of Luke 1:46-48 NLT

Illustration of Luke 1:46-48 NLT -- Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.”

Voice of an Angel
Illustration of Luke 1:26-28

Inspirational illustration of Luke 1:26-28 -- God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, 'Greetings

Before He Is Born
Illustration of Luke 1:14-15 NIV

Illustration of Luke 1:14-15 NIV -- He [John the Baptizer]  will be a joy and delight to you [his parents], and many will rejoice because of his birth, 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 before he is born.

He Has Set His People Free
Illustration of Luke 1:67-68 MESSAGE

Illustration of Luke 1:67-68 MESSAGE -- Then Zachariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he came and set his people free."

Joining Mary in the Magnificat
Illustration of Luke 1:46-47

Inspirational illustration of Luke 1:46-47 -- My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.

Mercy of Our God
Illustration of Luke 1:78-79

Inspirational e-card of Luke 1:78-79 - Because of the Mercy of our God by which the rising sun will come to us from Heaven...

Rejoice!
Illustration of Luke 1:46-47 NLT

Illustration of Luke 1:46-47 NLT -- Mary responded, "Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!"

Filled to Prophesy
Illustration of Luke 1:67 NIV

Illustration of Luke 1:67 NIV -- His [John the Baptizer's]  father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied: ...

He has done Great Things
Illustration of Luke 1:46

Inspirational illustration of Luke 1:46 -- Mary said, 'My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.... The Mighty One has done great things for me - holy is his name.'

Leaping for Joy!
Illustration of Luke 1:41 NIV

Illustration of Luke 1:41 NIV -- When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby [John the Baptizer]  leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

Son of God
Illustration of Luke 1:35 NIV

Illustration of Luke 1:35 NIV -- The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you [Mary], and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God."

Spirit Made
Illustration of Luke 1:80 NLT

Illustration of Luke 1:80 NLT -- John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

Strong in Spirit
Illustration of Luke 1:80 NIV

Illustration of Luke 1:80 NIV -- And the child [John the Baptizer]  grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Cross References for Luke 1

Cross References Provided by Open Bible

The Berean Standard Bible

The Berean Standard Bible (BSB) is a modern, clear, and faithful translation based on the best available Greek and Hebrew manuscripts. Ideal for reading, study, and sharing, it entered the public domain in 2023. For more information, visit berean.bible.