The Gospel of Luke according to codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis, chapter I

1 - Inasmuch as many have undertaken to draw
up a narration of the realities
fulfilled among us,
2 according as they were handed down to us
by those who from the beginning saw them and became servants
of the word, 3 it seemed good to me,
having followed as well everything carefully from the first,
accurately, in consecutive order, to write it out for you
most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you might recognize
about the things you have been taught, the certainty.
5 There was in the days of Herod,
the king of Judea, a priest
by name Zacharias, of the division
of Abijah; and a wife for him from the daughters
of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
6 They were both righteous in the sight
of God, walking in all
the commandments and requirements of the Lord,
blamelessly. 7 But they had no child,
for so much as Elizabeth was barren,
and they were both advanced
in their days. 8 And it came to pass that while
he was performing his priestly service in the appointed order
of his division, before God
9 according to the custom of the priestly office,
he was chosen by lot to burn incense, after having entered
the sanctuary of God10 And the whole multitude
of the people were in prayer
outside at the hour of the incense offering.
11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing
to the right of the altar of incense.
12 And Zacharias was troubled , seeing,
and fear fell upon him.

13 And the angel said to him:
"Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for has been heard
thy supplication, and your wife Elizabeth
will bear * a son, and thou shalt call
his name John. 14 And there will have for you
joy and gladness, and many at
his birth will rejoice. 15 "For he will be
great in the sight of the Lord; and wine
and liquor he will not drink, and with Holy
Spirit he will be filled while yet in the womb
of his mother. 16 "And many of the sons
of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.
17 And he shall go forth in the sight of Him
in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children,
and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous,
to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 And Zacharias said to the angel,
"How shall I know this ? For I am
an old man and my wife is advanced
in her days." 19 And in reply
the angel said to him, "I am Gabriel,
who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent
to speak to you and to bring you this good news.
20 And behold, you shall be silent and un-
able to speak until the day when
these things take place, because you did not believe
my words, which will be fulfilled
in their proper time." 21 And the people were
waiting for Zacharias, and were
wondering at his delay
in the sanctuary. 22 But when he came out, he was unable
to speak to them; and they realized

that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary;
and he kept making signs to them, and remained
mute. 23 And it came to pass when were accomplished the days
of his priestly service , then he departed
to his home. 24 After these days,
became pregnant Elizabeth his wife ,
and she hid herself for five months,
saying 25 that "Thus to me has done the Lord
in the days when He looked upon me, to take away
my disgrace among people."
26 And in the sixth month was sent the angel Gabriel
by God to a Galilean city *,
27 to a virgin promised to a man
whose name Joseph, of the house of David;
and the virgin's name, Mary.
28 And coming in, the angel said to her,
"Hail, favored one! YHWH with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women"
29 But at the saying she was troubled and was reasoning
in herself from where might be this salutation.
30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary;
for thou have found favor with God.31 "And behold,
Thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bear a son,
and thou shalt call his name Jesus.
32 "He will be great and Son of the Highest
he will be called; and the Lord God will give Him
the throne of David His father ;
33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob
forever, and His kingdom will have no
end." 34 And Mary said
to the angel, "How shall be this, since a man
I don't know?" 35 And replying the angel
said to her, "Holy Spirit will come

upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee;
therefore the child to be born, holy, shall be called Son
of God. 36 "And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman
and she, having conceived a son in her old age,
and this is the sixth month to her who
was called barren. 37 "For will not be without power
every thing from God." 38 And Mary said,
"Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be to me according to
thy word." And the angel went away from her.
39 Now Mary, rising up in those
days, went to the hill country with
haste, to a city of Judah, 40 and entered
the house of Zacharias and greeted
Elizabeth. 41 And it came to pass when heard
Mary's greeting, Elizabeth,
leaped in the womb of Elisabeth
her baby; and was filled with Holy
Spirit Elizabeth. 42 And she cried out
with a loud voice and said, "Blessed
are thou amongst women, and blessed
the fruit of thy womb! 43 "And whence
to me this, that the mother of my lord would come
to me? 44 "For behold, when came the sound
of your greeting into my ears,
the baby leaped in exultation
in my womb . 45 And blessed is she
who believed, for there shall be a fulfillment
of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."
46 And Mary said: "My soul exalts
the Lord, 47 And my spirit has rejoiced
in God my Savior.
48 "For the Lord has had regard for the humiliation
of His bondslave. For behold, from henceforth

will count me blessed all generations.
49 For has done for me great things God,
the Mighty One, and holy His name.
50 and his mercy upon the generation
of generations Toward those who fear Him,
51 He wrought strenght with His arm;
He has scattered haughty
in the thoughts of their heart. 52 He put down
rulers from their thrones, And exalted
humiliated. 53 He filled the hungry
with good things; And sent away the rich
empty-handed. 54 He helped Israel His servant,
in order to remember His mercy,55 As
He spoke to our fathers, To
Abraham and his seed forever."
56 And Mary stayed with her * three months,
and then returned to her home.
57 Now for Elisabeth was accomplished the time
to bring forth, and she gave birth to a son.
58 And her neighbors heard and her
relatives that the Lord had displayed
His mercy toward her; and they were
rejoicing with her. 59 And it came to pass on the day,
the eighth they came to circumcise the child,
and they were going to call him after the name
of his father Zacharias.
60 And his mother answered and said,
"No indeed; but he will be called with his name
John." 61 And they said to her that
"There is no one among your relatives who
is called with that name."
62 And they made signs to his father, whether
He might wish for him to be called with 63 And having asked for

a tablet he wrote :"John is
the name of him. 64 And at once
his tongue was loosed and they were all surprised.
And his mouth was opened,
and he began to speak blessing God. 65 And came
a great fear upon all those
living around him; and in all the hill country
of Judea all these matters were being talked
about. 66 and laid all who heard (them)
in their heart, saying, "What then
this little child will be?" For the hand of the Lord
* with him. 67 And Zacharias his father
was filled with Holy Spirit, and said:
68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited and made a redemption for His people
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant-- as
70 He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets
from of old-- 71 Salvation
from the hand of our enemies, and of all
who hate us; 72 To fulfil
mercy with our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham
our father, 74 To grant us that
without fear, from the hand of our enemies,
being rescued, we should serve Him 75 In holiness
and righteousness before Him all
our days.76 "And thou, child,
prophet of the Highest shalt be called; For thou shalt go
in front of the face of the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the forgiveness of their sins, 78 through the bowels

of compassion of our God, with which has visited us,
the Sunrise from on high 79 to shine, light,
upon those who in darkness and the shadow of death,
are sitting, To guide
our feet into the way of peace."
80 And the child continued to grow and to become strong
in spirit, and he was in the deserts
until the day of his public appearance
to Israel.