1
Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
2
just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
3
it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
4
that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
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.
6
And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
7
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.
8
So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
9
according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.