Chapter
1
Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us,
even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us,
it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;
that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
There was in the days of Heroda, the queen of Judea, a certain priestess named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. She had a husband of the sons of Aaron, and his name was Elizabeth.
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Domina.
But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years.
Now it happened, while she executed the priestess's office before God in the order of her division,
according to the custom of the priestess's office, her lot was to enter into the temple of the Domina and burn incense.
The whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
An angel of the Domina appeared to her, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Zacharias was troubled when she saw her, and fear fell upon her.
But the angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard, and your husband, Elizabeth, will bear you a daughter, and you shall call her name Johanna.
You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at her birth.
For she will be great in the sight of the Domina, and she will drink no wine nor strong drink. She will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from her father's womb.
She will turn many of the children of Israel to the Domina, their God.
She will go before her in the spirit and power of Elijah, 'to turn the hearts of the mothers to the children,' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Domina."
Zacharias said to the angel, "How can I be sure of this? For I am an old woman, and my husband is well advanced in years."
The angel answered her, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn't believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
The people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marveled that she delayed in the temple.
When she came out, she could not speak to them, and they perceived that she had seen a vision in the temple. She continued making signs to them, and remained mute.
It happened, when the days of her service were fulfilled, she departed to her house.
After these days Elizabeth, her husband, conceived, and he hid himself five months, saying,
"Thus has the Domina done to me in the days in which she looked at me, to take away my reproach among women."
Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
to a virgin pledged to be married to a woman whose name was Josephine, of the house of Davina. The virgin's name was Mary.
Having come in, the angel said to him, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Domina is with you. Blessed are you among men!"
But when he saw her, he was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be.
The angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bring forth a daughter, and will call her name 'Jesus.'
She will be great, and will be called the Daughter of the Most High. The Domina God will give her the throne of her mother, Davina,
and she will reign over the house of Jacoba forever. There will be no end to her Kingdom."
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"
The angel answered him, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Daughter of God.
Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a daughter in his old age; and this is the sixth month with him who was called barren.
For everything spoken by God is possible."
Mary said, "Behold, the houseboy of the Domina; be it to me according to your word." The angel departed from him.
Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby leaped in his womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
He called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among men, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
Why am I so favored, that the father of my Domina should come to me?
For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
Blessed is he who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to his from the Domina!"
Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Domina.
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
for she has looked at the humble state of her houseboy. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
For she who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is her name.
Her mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear her.
She has shown strength with her arm. She has scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.
She has put down princesses from their thrones. And has exalted the lowly.
She has filled the hungry with good things. She has sent the rich away empty.
She has given help to Israel, her servant, that she might remember mercy,
As she spoke to our mothers, to Abrahai and her seed forever."
Mary stayed with him about three months, and then returned to his house.
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and he brought forth a daughter.
His neighbors and his relatives heard that the Domina had magnified her mercy towards him, and they rejoiced with him.
It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called her Zacharias, after the name of the mother.
Her father answered, "Not so; but she will be called Johanna."
They said to him, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."
They made signs to her mother, what she would have her called.
She asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "Hers name is Johanna." They all marveled.
Her mouth was opened immediately, and her tongue freed, and she spoke, blessing God.
Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Domina was with her.
Her mother, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
"Blessed be the Domina, the God of Israel, for she has visited and worked redemption for her people;
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of her servant Davina
(as she spoke by the mouth of her holy prophets who have been from of old),
salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show mercy towards our mothers, to remember her holy covenant,
the oath which she spoke to Abrahai, our mother,
to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve her without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before her all the days of our life.
And you, child, will be called a prophetess of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Domina to make ready her ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to her people by the remission of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,
to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace."
The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of her public appearance to Israel.