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 The-oph´ilus,
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 Judea, a certain priest named Zechari´ah, of the course of Abi´jah: 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,