NKJV Bible in 365 Days
October
Promise and Preparation for Christ's Birth — October 1
Luke 1
Luke 1
1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which [a] have been fulfilled among us, 365N 274.1
2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, 365N 274.2
3 it seemed good to me also, having [b] had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, 365N 274.3
4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. 365N 274.4
5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 365N 274.5
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 365N 274.6
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years. 365N 274.7
8 So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, 365N 274.8
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, [c] his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 365N 274.9
10 And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. 365N 274.10
11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 365N 274.11
12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 365N 274.12
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 365N 274.13
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 365N 274.14
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. 365N 274.15
16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 365N 274.16
17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” 365N 274.17
18 And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.” 365N 274.18
19 And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you [d] these glad tidings. 365N 274.19
20 But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.” 365N 274.20
21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. 365N 274.21
22 But when he came out, he could not speak to them; and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. 365N 274.22
23 So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. 365N 274.23
24 Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 365N 274.24
25 “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” 365N 274.25
26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 365N 274.26
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 365N 274.27
28 And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; [e] blessed are you among women!” 365N 274.28
29 But [f] when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 365N 274.29
30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 365N 274.30
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus . 365N 274.31
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. 365N 274.32
33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” 365N 274.33
34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I [g] do not know a man?” 365N 274.34
35 And the angel answered and said to her, “ The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. 365N 274.35
36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 365N 274.36
37 For with God nothing will be impossible.” 365N 274.37
38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. 365N 274.38
39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 365N 274.39
40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 365N 274.40
41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 365N 274.41
42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 365N 274.42
43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 365N 274.43
44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 365N 274.44
45 Blessed is she who [h] believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” 365N 274.45
46 And Mary said: “My soul [i] magnifies the Lord, 365N 274.46
47 And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. 365N 274.47
48 For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. 365N 274.48
49 For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. 365N 274.49
50 And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation. 365N 274.50
51 He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 365N 274.51
52 He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly. 365N 274.52
53 He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty. 365N 274.53
54 He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy, 365N 274.54
55 As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever.” 365N 274.55
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house. 365N 274.56
57 Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 365N 274.57
58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. 365N 274.58
59 So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. 365N 274.59
60 His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.” 365N 274.60
61 But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 365N 274.61
62 So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called. 365N 274.62
63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. 365N 274.63
64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. 365N 274.64
65 Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 365N 274.65
66 And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And the hand of the Lord was with him. 365N 274.66
67 Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 365N 274.67
68 “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people, 365N 274.68
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of His servant David, 365N 274.69
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, Who have been since the world began, 365N 274.70
71 That we should be saved from our enemies And from the hand of all who hate us, 365N 274.71
72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers And to remember His holy covenant, 365N 274.72
73 The oath which He swore to our father Abraham: 365N 274.73
74 To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 365N 274.74
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. 365N 274.75
76 “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest; For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, 365N 274.76
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people By the remission of their sins, 365N 274.77
78 Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the [j] Dayspring from on high [k] has visited us; 365N 274.78
79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” 365N 274.79
80 So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel. 365N 274.80