Gospel of Luke

The Gospel according to Luke is the third of the four gospels of the New Testament, written in Greek in the later first century AD and traditionally ascribed to Luke, a companion of Paul. It is addressed to a certain Theophilus and has a sequel in the Acts of the Apostles. The Vulgate text is Jerome's revision of the older Latin translations of the gospels, made at the request of Pope Damasus in the early 380s.

Luke opens with the births of John the Baptist and Jesus, foretold by the angel Gabriel, the shepherds at Bethlehem and the boy Jesus in the temple. After John's preaching, the baptism and the temptation, Jesus preaches at Nazareth and teaches and heals in Galilee, calls fishermen, gives the Sermon on the Plain and raises a widow's son at Nain. On the long journey to Jerusalem come many parables found only in Luke, including the Good Samaritan, the Prodigal Son, the rich man and Lazarus and the dishonest steward, as well as the story of Zacchaeus. In Jerusalem Jesus debates in the temple and foretells the end. The book closes with the Last Supper, the arrest, Peter's denial, the trials before Pilate and Herod, the crucifixion and burial, the empty tomb and the meeting with two disciples on the road to Emmaus.

Luke is the most literary of the gospels. Its hymns are still known by the first words of the Vulgate text, Magnificat, Benedictus and Nunc dimittis, and its Latin is plain and readable.