¹ The Lord God said to Abraham: As for Sara your wife, her name shall not be called Sara, but Sarra shall be her name. I will bless her and will give you a child from her; and I will bless it and it shall be for nations and kings of nations will come from it. And Abraham fell on his face, and laughed and said in his mind; Shall a son be born in my hundredth year? And shall Sarra who is ninety bear a child? God said to Abraham: Yes; see, your wife Sarra will bear you a son and you will call his name Isaac; and I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant. Now Abraham and Sarra were old, advanced in years. But Sarra laughed to herself, saying: The thing has not happened to me until now; and my lord is old. And the Lord God said to Abraham: Why did Sarra laugh to herself, saying: Shall I really give birth? For I am aged. But nothing is impossible for God. And the Lord visited Sarra, as He had said, and she conceived and bore a son to Abraham in their old age at the time the Lord had said to him. But he circumcised him on the eighth day, as the Lord God had commanded him. And Abraham was a hundred when Isaac his son was born to him. But Sarra said: The Lord has given me laughter; for whoever hears will rejoice with me. And she said: Who will announce to Abraham that Sarra is suckling a child, for I have born a child in my old age? And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham held a great banquet on the day his son Isaac was weaned.

¹ In those days there was a man of the tribe of Dan and his name was Manoe, and his wife was barren and had not borne a child. And the Angel of the Lord appeared to his wife and said to her: See, you are barren and have not borne a child or conceived a son. But now take care, and do not drink wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. Because see, you will conceive in the womb and bear a son, and no iron shall touch his head, because the child is to be a Nazarite to God from his mother’s womb. And the woman came and spoke to her husband, saying: A Man of God came to me, and his appearance was as the appearance on an Angel of God, exceedingly bright. And he said: See, you will conceive in the womb and bear a son; and now take care, and drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the child shall be a Nazarite of God from the womb to the day of his death. And Manoe besought the Lord and said: My Lord, let the man of God, whom You sent, come again to us, and enlighten us what we should do for the child that is to be born. Then the Angel came to Manoe and said: Of all the things that I said to your wife, let her take care. She is not to eat anything that comes from the vine; she is not to drink wine or strong drink. And Manoe said to the Angel of the Lord: What is your name? That when your word comes to pass, we may glorify you. And the Angel of the Lord said to him: Why do you ask my name? For it is wonderful. And the Angel of the Lord appeared no more to Manoe and his wife.

¹ Thus says the Lord: Comfort, comfort my people, says God. Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem. Comfort her, because her humiliation has been completed; for her has sin has been abolished, because she has received from the Lord’s hand double for her sins. A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God. Every valley will be filled and every mountain and hill made low; what is crooked will become straight, and the rough ways will be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Go up onto a high mountain, you who bring good tidings to Sion; lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings to Jerusalem. Lift it up, do not be afraid. I the Lord God, I, the God of Israel, will hearken and will not forsake them; but I will open rivers from the mountains and springs in the middle of plains. I will turn the wilderness into water meadows and the thirsty earth with water courses. Let the heavens rejoice from on high and let the clouds rain justice. Let the earth sprout and blossom with mercy and justice. Announce a voice of gladness to the end of the earth and let this be heard: Say that the Lord has delivered his servant Jacob. And if they thirst through deserts, he will bring water for them from a rock. Rejoice you barren who have never given birth, break out and shout, you who have never known birth pangs, for the children of the deserted are more than those of her who has a husband.

²⁴ And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

²⁵ Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

⁵⁷ Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

⁵⁸ And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹ And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

⁶⁰ And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

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 manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

⁷⁶ And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

⁸⁰ And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

²⁸ A jakož sobě nevážili známosti Boha, tak i Bůh vydal je v převrácený smysl, aby činili to, což nesluší,

²⁹ Jsouce naplněni vší nepravostí, smilstvem, nešlechetností, lakomstvím, zlostí, plní závisti, vraždy, svárů, lsti, zlých obyčejů,

³⁰ Utrhači, pomluvači, Boha nenávidící, hánliví, pyšní, chlubní, nalezači zlých věcí, rodičů neposlušní,

³¹ Nemoudří, smluv nezdrželiví, beze vší lítosti, neukojitelní a nemilosrdní.

³² Kteříž vědouce o tom právu Božím, (že ti, kteříž takové věci činí, hodni jsou smrti,) netoliko ty věci činí, ale i činícím nakládají.

¹ Protož nemůžeš se vymluviti, ó člověče, každý potupující. Nebo tím, že jiného potupuješ, sám sebe odsuzuješ, poněvadž totéž činíš, což tupíš.

² Vímeť zajisté, že soud Boží jest podlé pravdy proti těm, kteříž takové věci činí.

³ Zdali se domníváš, ó člověče, kterýž soudíš ty, kdož takové věci činí, a sám totéž čině, že ty ujdeš soudu Božího?

⁴ Čili bohatstvím dobrotivosti jeho a snášelivosti i dlouhočekání pohrdáš, nevěda, že dobrotivost Boží ku pokání tebe vede?

⁵ Ale podlé tvrdosti své a srdce nekajícího shromažďuješ sám sobě hněv ke dni hněvu a zjevení spravedlivého soudu Božího.

⁶ Kterýž odplatí jednomu každému podlé skutků jeho,

⁷ Těm zajisté, kteříž trvajíce v dobrém skutku, slávy a cti a nesmrtelnosti hledají, životem věčným,

⁸ Těm pak, kteříž jsou svárliví, a pravdě nepovolují, ale povolují nepravosti, prchlivostí a hněvem,

⁹ Trápením a úzkostí, každé duši člověka činícího zlé, i Žida předně, i Řeka.

¹¹ A zvláště pak vidouce takovou příhodnost, žeť jest se nám již čas ze sna probuditi. Nyníť zajisté blíže nás jest spasení, nežli když jsme uvěřili.

¹² Noc pominula, ale den se přiblížil. Odvrzmež tedy skutky temnosti, a oblecme se v odění světla.

¹³ Jakožto ve dne poctivě choďme, ne v hodování a v opilství, ne v smilstvích a v chlipnostech, ne v sváru a v závisti.

¹⁴ Ale oblecte se v Pána Jezukrista, a nepečujte o tělo podlé žádosti jeho.

¹ Mdlého pak u víře přijímejte ne k hádkám o otázkách.

² Nebo někdo věří, že může jísti všecko; jiný pak mdlý jsa, jí zelí.

³ Ten kdož jí, nepokládej sobě za nic toho, kdož nejí; a kdo nejí, toho nepotupuj, kdož jí. Nebo Bůh přijal jej.

⁴ Ty kdo jsi, abys tupil cizího služebníka? Však Pánu svému stojí, aneb padá. Budeť pak ustaven; mocen jest zajisté Bůh utvrditi jej.

²⁷ Slyšeli jste, že říkáno bylo starým: Nezcizoložíš.

²⁸ Ale jáť pravím vám: Že každý, kdož by pohleděl na ženu ku požádání jí, již zcizoložil s ní v srdci svém.

²⁹ Jestliže pak oko tvé pravé horší tě, vylup je a vrz od sebe; neboť jest užitečněji tobě, aby zahynul jeden oud tvůj, než by celé tělo tvé uvrženo bylo do ohně pekelného.

³⁰ A pakli ruka tvá pravá horší tě, utni ji a vrz od sebe; nebo užitečněji jest tobě, aby zahynul jeden oud tvůj, než by všecko tělo tvé uvrženo bylo do pekelného ohně.

³¹ Též řečeno jest: Kdož by koli propustil manželku svou, aby jí dal lístek rozloučení.

³² Jáť pak pravím vám: Že kdožkoli propustil by manželku svou, kromě příčiny cizoložstva, uvodí ji v cizoložstvo, a kdož propuštěnou pojme, cizoloží.

¹ Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,

² Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

³ It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

⁴ That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

⁵ There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

⁷ And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

⁸ And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course,

⁹ According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

¹⁰ And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

¹¹ And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

¹² And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

¹³ But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

¹⁴ And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

¹⁵ For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.

¹⁶ And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

¹⁷ And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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.

¹⁸ And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.

¹⁹ And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

²⁰ And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

²¹ And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.

²² And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

²³ And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

²⁴ And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,

²⁵ Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

⁵⁷ Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

⁵⁸ And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹ And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

⁶⁰ And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

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 manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷ And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

⁷⁶ And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

⁸⁰ And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

¹ Pilně se varujte, abyste almužny své nedávali před lidmi, proto abyste vidíni byli od nich, jinak nebudete míti odplaty u Otce svého, kterýž jest v nebesích.

² Protož když dáváš almužnu, netrub před sebou, jako pokrytci činí v školách a na ryncích, aby chváleni byli od lidí. Amen pravím vám, majíť odplatu svou.

³ Ale ty když almužnu dáváš, nechť neví levice tvá, co činí pravice tvá,

⁴ Aby almužna tvá byla v skrytě, Otec pak tvůj, kterýž vidí v skrytě, odplatí tobě zjevně.

⁵ A když bys se modlil, nebývej jako pokrytci. Obyčej zajisté mají, v školách a na úhlech ulic stojíce, modliti se, aby byli vidíni od lidí. Amen pravím vám, žeť mají odplatu svou.

⁶ Ale ty když bys se modlil, vejdi do pokojíka svého, a zavra dvéře své, modliž se Otci svému, kterýž jest v skrytě, a Otec tvůj, kterýž vidí v skrytě, odplatí tobě zjevně.

⁷ Modléce se pak, nebuďtež marnomluvní jako pohané; nebo se domnívají, že pro tu svou mnohomluvnost vyslyšáni budou.

⁸ Nepřirovnávejtež se tedy jim, neboť ví Otec váš, čeho jest vám potřebí, prvé než byste vy ho prosili.

⁹ A protož vy takto se modlte: Otče náš, kterýž jsi v nebesích, posvěť se jméno tvé.

¹⁰ Přiď království tvé. Buď vůle tvá jako v nebi tak i na zemi.

¹¹ Chléb náš vezdejší dej nám dnes.

¹² A odpusť nám viny naše, jakož i my odpouštíme vinníkům našim.

¹³ I neuvoď nás v pokušení, ale zbav nás od zlého. Nebo tvé jest království, i moc, i sláva, na věky, Amen.

¹⁴ Nebo jestliže odpustíte lidem poklésky jejich, odpustíť i vám nebeský Otec váš.

¹⁵ Jestliže pak neodpustíte lidem pádů jejich, aniž Otec váš odpustí vám pádů vašich.

¹⁶ Když byste se pak postili, nebývejtež jako pokrytci zasmušilí; neboť pošmuřují tváří svých, aby vědomé bylo lidem, že se postí. Amen pravím vám, vzaliť jsou odplatu svou.

¹⁷ Ty pak, když se postíš, pomaž hlavy své a tvář svou umej,

¹⁸ Aby nebylo zjevné lidem, že se postíš, ale Otci tvému, kterýž jest v skrytě. A Otec tvůj, kterýž vidí v skrytosti, odplatí tobě zjevně.

¹⁹ Neskládejte sobě pokladů na zemi, kdež mol a rez kazí, a kdež zloději vykopávají a kradou.

²⁰ Ale skládejte sobě poklady v nebi, kdež ani mol ani rez nekazí, a kdež zloději nevykopávají ani nekradou.

²¹ Nebo kdež jest poklad váš, tuť jest i srdce vaše.

²² Svíce těla jestiť oko; protož jestliže by oko tvé sprostné bylo, všecko tělo tvé světlé bude.

²³ Pakliť by oko tvé bylo nešlechetné, všecko tělo tvé tmavé bude. Jestliže tedy světlo, kteréž jest v tobě, jest tma, sama tma jaká bude?

²⁴ Žádný nemůže dvěma pánům sloužiti. Neb zajisté jednoho nenáviděti bude, a druhého milovati, aneb jednoho přídržeti se bude, a druhým pohrdne. Nemůžte Bohu sloužiti i mammoně.

²⁵ Protož pravím vám: Nepečujte o život svůj, co byste jedli a co pili, ani o tělo své, čím byste se odívali. Zdaliž není život více nežli pokrm, a tělo nežli oděv?

²⁶ Hleďte na ptactvo nebeské, žeť nesejí ani žnou, ani shromažďují do stodol, ale Otec váš nebeský živí je. I zdaliž vy jich mnohem nepřevyšujete?

²⁷ A kdo z vás pečlivě mysle, může přidati ku postavě své loket jeden?

²⁸ A o oděv proč se staráte? Považte kvítí polního, kterak roste, nepracuje ani přede.

²⁹ Pravímť pak vám, že ani Šalomoun ve vší slávě své tak odín nebyl, jako jedno z nich.

³⁰ Poněvadž tedy trávu polní, ješto dnes jest, a zítra do peci bývá vložena, Bůh tak odívá, i zdaliž mnohem více vás neodívá, ó malé víry?

³¹ Nepečujtež tedy, říkajíce: Co budeme jísti? aneb co budeme píti? aneb čím se budeme odívati?

³² Nebo toho všeho pohané hledají. Víť zajisté Otec váš nebeský, že toho všeho potřebujete.

³³ Ale hledejte nejprv království Božího a spravedlnosti jeho, a toto vše bude vám přidáno.

³⁴ Protož nepečujte o zítřejší den, nebo zítřejší den pečovati bude o své věci. Dostiť má den na svém trápení.