# Luke 1.3 **Book:** [Luke](/codex/luke-the-evangelist/) · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT ## Immediate context (±2 verses) **ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/)) > 1. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2. even as they delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word, > > **3. it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus;** > > 4. that thou mightest know the certainty concerning the things wherein thou wast instructed. 5. There was in the days of Herod, king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. (Luke 1:1-5, ASV) **WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/)) > 1. Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2. even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, > > **3. it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus;** > > 4. that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed. 5. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. (Luke 1:1-5, WEB) **KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/)) > 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 Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. (Luke 1:1-5, KJV) **YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/)) > 1. Seeing that many did take in hand to set in order a narration of the matters that have been fully assured among us, 2. as they did deliver to us, who from the beginning became eye-witnesses, and officers of the Word, > > **3. it seemed good also to me, having followed from the first after all things exactly, to write to thee in order, most noble Theophilus,** > > 4. that thou mayest know the certainty of the things wherein thou wast instructed. 5. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the course of Abijah, and his wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elisabeth; (Luke 1:1-5, YLT) ## Setting - **Speaker:** Luke the physician (traditionally) / narrator + Jesus's direct teaching - **Audience:** Theophilus + Gentile Christian audience (companion to Acts) - **Location:** first-century Palestine (events); composition possibly Caesarea or Rome - **Time period:** events c. 4 BC, AD 30/33; composed c. AD 60-80 ## Theological reading ## Key words - [G3956 - pas](/codex/g3956-pas/), *pas* (Strong's G3956). Also appears in: [Matthew 1](/codex/matthew-1/), [Matthew 2.1-6](/codex/matthew-2-1-6/), [Matthew 2.16](/codex/matthew-2-16/). ## Why these four translations ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance. The four: - **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition. - **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English. - **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base. - **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff. See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses. ## Quoted in **Arguments and defeaters:** - [Anonymous Gospels Objection Defeater](/codex/anonymous-gospels-objection-defeater/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Argument from Prophecy Fulfillment](/codex/argument-from-prophecy-fulfillment/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Cartesian Skeptical Argument and Christian Responses](/codex/cartesian-skeptical-argument-and-christian-responses/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Christ Before Jesus Thesis Defeater](/codex/christ-before-jesus-thesis-defeater/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Christian God is the Only True God](/codex/christian-god-is-the-only-true-god/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Faith is Belief Without Evidence Objection Defeater](/codex/faith-is-belief-without-evidence-objection-defeater/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Gospels Are Constructed Encomium Objection Defeater](/codex/gospels-are-constructed-encomium-objection-defeater/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Quirinius Census Contradiction Objection Defeater](/codex/quirinius-census-contradiction-objection-defeater/) - [The Gospels Copied Each Other Objection Defeater](/codex/the-gospels-copied-each-other-objection-defeater/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Why Didnt Jesus Write Anything Himself Objection Defeater](/codex/why-didnt-jesus-write-anything-himself-objection-defeater/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) **Concepts:** - [Atheism](/codex/atheism/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Faith and Reason](/codex/faith-and-reason/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Faith is Belief Without Evidence Objection](/codex/faith-is-belief-without-evidence-objection/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [NT Authorship and Eyewitness Apologetics](/codex/nt-authorship-and-eyewitness-apologetics/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Quick Objection Responses](/codex/quick-objection-responses/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Synoptic Problem](/codex/synoptic-problem/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) - [Virgin Birth](/codex/virgin-birth/), via [Luke 1.1-4](/codex/luke-1-1-4/) **People:** - [Luke the Evangelist](/codex/luke-the-evangelist/)