1 Forasmuch as many have attempted to set forth in order the history of those things which among us have been most certain, 2 even as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning taught us and thus were ministers of the word, 3 it seemed good also to me, after having understood all the things from the beginning with great diligence, to write them unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that thou mightest know the security of those things in which thou hast been instructed.