But Jeshu our Lord, after he had spoken with them, unto the heavens ascended, and sat on the right hand of Aloha.

And they went forth and preached in every place, and our Lord helped them, and confirmed their words by the signs which they wrought.

Finished is the Holy Gospel, the Preaching of Markos ; which he spake and preached in Roman at Rumi.

THE HOLY GOSPEL,

THE PREACHING OF LUKOS THE EVANGELIST:

WHICH HE SPAKE AND DECLARED IN GREEK

IN ALEXANDRIA THE GREAT.

I. Morning of the Annunciation of Zakaria.

BECAUSE many have willed to record histories of those transactions of which we are persuaded, according to that which they have delivered to us, (they) who from the first were eye-witnesses and ministers of his doctrine; it appeared also to me, that having been intimately near to them all, I should record every thing in its order for thee, illustrious Theophilé, that thou mayest know the truth of those doctrines in which thou hast been instructed.

THERE was in the days of Herodes, king of the Jihudoyee, a certain priest whose name was Zakaria, of the service of the house of Abia, and his wife (was) of the daughters of Aharun; her name was Elishaba. And they were both just before Aloha, and walked in all his commandments, and in the righteousness of the Lord, without blame. But they had no son because Elishaba was barren, and both had become many in their days.

But it was while he was acting-as-priest in the order of his ministry before Aloha, according to the custom of the priesthood he came to set on incense, and entered into the temple of the Lord. And all the congregation of the people were praying without at the time of incense.

And there appeared to him, to Zakaria, the angel of the Lord, standing on the right hand of the altar of incense. And Zakaria trembled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. And the angel said to him, Fear not, Zakaria, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elishaba shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Juchanon.* And to thee shall be joy and exultation, and many shall rejoice in his birth: for he shall be great before the Lord, and wine and strong liquor † shall he not drink, and with the Spirit of Holiness shall he be filled, from the womb of his mother. And many of the sons of Isroel shall he convert to the Lord their Aloha. And he shall go before him in the spirit and the power Elia the prophet, to turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children, and those who believe not to the knowledge of the righteous, and to prepare for the Lord a perfect people.

of

And Zakaria said to the angel, How shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife many in her days. And the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel, I stand before Aloha, and I have been sent to speak with thee and to announce to thee these things. From henceforth thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak, till the day when these things shall be done, because thou hast not believed these words, which shall be fulfilled in their time.

But the people were standing, and expecting Zakaria, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. But when Zakaria had come forth, he could not speak to them; and he made them understand that he had seen a vision in the temple, and signing he signed to them, and remained dumb. And when the days of his service were fulfilled, he came to his house.

And it was after those days Elishaba his wife con

* Pronounced, Yu'hanan.

+ Shak'ra.

ceived, and she secluded herself five months.

And she

said, These things hath the Lord done for me in the days of my desolation, to take away my reproach from among the children of men.

II. For the Annunciation.

BUT in the sixth month Gabriel the angel was sent from before Aloha to Galila, to a city whose name (is) Natsrath, unto a Virgin espoused to a man whose name was Jauseph, of the house of David, and the name of the Virgin was Mariam. And the angel entered to her, and said to her, Peace to thee, full of grace! our Lord is with thee, thou blessed among women! But she, when she saw, was troubled at his words, and reasoned what this salutation was. And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mariam, for thou hast found favour with Aloha. For, behold, thou shalt conceive, and shalt bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jeshu. He will be great, and the Son of the Most High* shall he be called, and Aloha the Lord shall give unto him the throne of David his father. And he shall reign over the house of Jakub for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mariam said to the angel, How shall this be, because a man is not known to me? The angel answered and said to her, The Spirit of Holiness shall come, and the Power of the Most High* shall shadow over thee; on account of this He who (shall be) born from thee is the Holy, and the Son of Aloha shall be called. And behold, Elishaba thy kinswoman, she also beareth a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her,―to her who is called the barren. For nothing is difficult to Aloha. And Mariam said, Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me as thou hast said. And the angel went from her.

*Eloia.

III. The Journey of Mariam to Elishaba.

AND Mariam arose in those days, and went with haste to the mountain to a city of Jehud; and she entered into the house of Zakaria, and saluted* Elishaba. And it was that when Elishaba heard the salutation of Mariam, the infant leaped in her womb. And she was filled with the Spirit of Holiness; and she cried with a loud voice, and said unto Mariam,

Blessed art thou among women,

And blessed is the fruit of thy womb!

Whence unto me is this,

That the mother of my Lord should come to me?
For, lo, as fell the voice of thy salutation on my ears,
For great joy leaped the infant in my womb.

And happy is she who hath believed,

For there is a fulfilment of those things which have been spoken to her from the Lord.

And Mariam said:

My soul doth magnify the Lord,

And my spirit rejoiceth in Aloha my Saviour,

Who hath looked upon the lowliness of his handmaid : For, behold, from now all generations shall give blessedness to me.

Because he hath done for me great things, he who is mighty,

And holy is his name.

And his grace is for ages and generations

Upon those who fear him.

He hath wrought victory with his arm;

He hath scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

He hath overturned the mighty from their thrones,
And hath exalted the humble.

* Or, inquired for the peace of.