1 To Theophilus:Many have tried to give a history of the things that happened among us.
2 They have written the same things that we learned from others—the people who saw those things from the beginning and served God by telling people his message.
3 I myself studied everything carefully from the beginning, your Excellency. I thought I should write it out for you. So I put it in order in a book.
4 I write these things so that you can know that what you have been taught is true.
5 During the time Herod ruled Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah. He belonged to Abijah’s group. Zechariah’s wife came from the family of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth.
6 Zechariah and Elizabeth truly did what God said was good. They did everything the Lord commanded and told people to do. They were without fault in keeping his law.