61 And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62 And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. 65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa. 66 And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, 'What ⚫ and his tongue restored to him as before, and he 65. And great astonishment and reverence came on all t Certainly this child will prove some notable permanner of child shall son! And God in a special manner was present to him, to assist and prosper him. this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 And his father 67. And Zachary by especial motion of the Spirit Zacharias was filled of God coming on him sung this hymn, Blessed be— with the Holy Ghost, and [n] prophesied, saying, Lord God of Israel; 68 Blessed be the u hath performed his promise often mentioned (see for he hath visited Gen. xxi. 1, and 1. 24, Exod. iii. 16, and iv. 31.) of and redeemed his visiting and bringing Israel out of Egypt in this people, spiritual (as formerly he did by way of temporal) 69 And hath raised deliverance, and by the Christ the Messias now to be up an [o] horn of born hath redeemed his people salvation for us in Χ the house of his ser- a king, a ruler and eminent deliverer for his people; and although the kingdom be not a secular one, vant David; 70 As he spake by yet is he to be born of David's family. the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since [p]the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To 7 perform 'the y the promises made to our fathers, wherein not mercy promised to only they but especially their seed was concerned, our fathers, and to and toremember his holy covenant; 73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would [q] grant unto us, 8 livered out of the 73. Gen. xxii. 16. give us power, ability, grace, that we being that we being de- secured and rescued from danger of enemies might hand of our enemies obey and attend him in a sincere performance of all him duties toward God and man, and cheerfully and constantly persevere therein. might serve [r] without fear, 76 And thou, child, 76. And this John shall be a prophet of God, shalt be called the (foretelling judgments on the nations if they repent prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt not speedily,) or rather of an higher rank, pointing go before the face of out Christ (see note [d] on Matt. xi.), and as his forethe Lord to prepare runner, by the preaching of repentance and change, to fit men for Christ. his ways; 77 To give know ledge of salvation un 77. To teach men that in Christ there is a possibito his people bythe re- lity of obtaining salvation for sinners, to wit, by parmission of their sins, don of their sins upon repentance and new life. 78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the "[s] dayspring from on high hath visited us, 79 To give light 78. Which is a special act of compassion in God, through which it is that this rising sun, i. e. the Messias or Christ, so called by the prophets, is come from heaven to visit and abide among us. 79. To shine forth to blind, ignorant, obdurate to them that sit in worldlings living in a state of death, and to put us darkness and in the into that way that will bring us to salvation. [t] shadow of death, to guide our feet in to the way of peace. 80 And the child 80. And John grew, and had the Spirit of God grew, and waxed daily more and more shewing himself in him, and strong in spirit, and dwelt in the hill country of Judæa, where he was till the day of his born, till the time of his preaching or setting to the shewing unto Israel. execution of his office among the Jews. was in the deserts AND it came to pass in those days, that there went out CHAP. II. a Augustus the Roman emperor, that all persons a decree from "Cæsarin the Roman empire should have their names and 7 deal mercifully with our fathers, μετὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ποιήσαι ἔλεος. 8 delivered without fear from the hands of our enemies might serve him. 9 rising of the sun, or the east. Augustus, that [a]all conditions of life and estate set down in court rolls, the world should be &c., according to their families. 1 [b] taxed. b 2 (And 2 this taxing was sent procurator into Syria (under which prowas first made when vince Palestine was) to enrol that part of the empire: Cyrenius was go- note [b]. vernor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also to the city where their ancestors were born, and so these to the city where David was born, from whence they came, ver. 4. 4. And so, though Joseph dwelt in Galilee in the went up from Gali- city Nazareth, he was forced to go into Judæa, unto lee, out of the city of the city of David Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem ; (because he was of the house and lineage of David :) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him ina [c] manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field,[d]keeping watch over their flock by night. d by turns over their flock, some one watch of the night, some another. 9 And, lo, the angel 9. And an angel of God appeared to them in a of the Lord came shining cloud, signifying God's especial signal preupon them, and the glory of the Lord sence there, (see note [] on Matt. iii.): and they shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. IO And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tid 1 enrolled. 2 this first enrolling was. 3 the stable. 4 watching the watches of the night over their flock. ings of great joy, which shall be to all people. II For unto you is 11. For the Messias or God incarnate is this day born this day in the born in Bethlehem, David's city. 12 And this shall 12. And by this you shall distinguish this child be a sign unto you; from all others; Ye shall find— Yeshall find the babe wrapped in swad dling clothes, lying 5 in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of e the heavenly host angels, so far from envying this dignity of man's praising God, and nature that they congratulated it, and thereupon sang this hymn, Glory to God saying, 14 Glory to God 14. God be glorified by them which are in the in the highest, and highest heavens, the angels, &c., because of that on earth [e] peace, peace which this birth of Christ hath brought on the good will toward earth, and because of that favour, mercy, reconcilia15 And it came to tion of God toward men, which is wrought thereby, pass, as the angels or because of that reconciliation of God toward those were gone away from that are found sincere before him. men. them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. 16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a 7 manger. 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the 'saying which was told them concerning this child, 18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept f whole story of all that was told them— comparing them one with another in her private all these things, and meditation, without speaking of them to any. 5 a stable : : see note [c]. 6 Or, peace toward men of good will, or of his good liking : for the King's MS. and the ancient Gr. and Lat. read, evdoкías, consolationis, and so many of the ancient fathers. 7 stable. pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as h for the real completion of all those things which were first told them by an angel, and then heard and it was told unto them, seen by themselves. 21 And when eight 21. And when the eighth day was come, wherein days were accom- it was the law and custom for children to be circumplished for the cir- cised and named, he was circumcised, and his name cumcising of the imposed on him, which was JESUS, according as he called JESUS, which had been named of the angel— child, his name was was so named of the angel before he was conceived womb. in the 22 And when the days of her purifica tion according to the i i law of Moses were they brought him, as their firstborn, to present accomplished, they him to the priest, and then to redeem him, as Num. brought him to Je- xviii. 15. is appointed; him to the Lord; rusalem, to present 23. (According to that law given to the Jews, that 23 (As it is written as the firstborn male of other creatures, so the firstin the law of the born son (in remembrance of God's slaying all the Lord, Every male firstborn of the Egyptians to deliver them) should be that openeth the consecrated to God, Exod. xiii. 3, and since the womb shall be call- Levites were by God taken instead of the firstborn, ed holy to the Lord;) 24 And to offer a it is to be redeemed, Num. iii. 12 and 46.) sacrifice according to 24. And then for her own purification after childthat which is said in birth, Lev. xii. 6, to offer her pair of turtles, being the law of the Lord, not able to offer a lamb (which is an argument that A pair of turtlethe magi had not yet brought their presents, Matt. ii. 11.) according to the commandment of God, that he 25 And, behold, which is not able to bring a lamb shall bring a pair of there was a man in turtles, &c., Lev. xii. 8. doves, or two young pigeons. Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man k an upright and godly man, looking for and exwas just and devout, pecting the coming of the Messias, see ver. 38, waiting for the con- whether in a spiritual only, or (as most expected) in and the Holy Ghost a temporal kingdom, to restore their liberty to the was upon him. solation of Israel: Jews. 26 And it was re- 26. And he had received revelation from the Holy vealed unto him by Ghost, that before he died the Messias should come, the Holy Ghost, that and he should see him. he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. |