Luke 1:26–80

²⁶In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings,^b you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.^c”

²⁹Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰So the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, ³³and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never end!”

³⁴“How can this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born^d will be called the Son of God. ³⁶Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month. ³⁷For no word from God will ever fail.^e”

³⁸“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

³⁹In those days Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah, ⁴⁰where she entered the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴²In a loud voice she exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³And why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled.”

⁴⁶Then Mary said:

“My soul magnifies the Lord,

⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

⁴⁸For He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant.

From now on all generations will call me blessed.

⁴⁹For the Mighty One has done great things for me.

Holy is His name.

⁵⁰His mercy extends to those who fear Him,

from generation to generation.

⁵¹He has performed mighty deeds with His arm;

He has scattered those who are proud

in the thoughts of their hearts.

⁵²He has brought down rulers from their thrones,

but has exalted the humble.

⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things,

but has sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴He has helped His servant Israel,

remembering to be merciful,

⁵⁵as He promised to our fathers,

to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

⁵⁶Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

⁵⁷When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁹On the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were going to name him after his father Zechariah. ⁶⁰But his mother replied, “No! He shall be called John.”

⁶¹They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who bears this name.” ⁶²So they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted to name the child.

⁶³Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. ⁶⁴Immediately Zechariah’s mouth was opened and his tongue was released, and he began to speak, praising God.

⁶⁵All their neighbors were filled with awe, and people throughout the hill country of Judea were talking about these events. ⁶⁶And all who heard this wondered in their hearts and asked, “What then will this child become?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

⁶⁷Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

⁶⁸“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,

because He has visited and redeemed His people.

⁶⁹He has raised up a horn of salvation for us

in the house of His servant David,

⁷⁰as He spoke through His holy prophets,

those of ages past,

⁷¹salvation from our enemies

and from the hand of all who hate us,

⁷²to show mercy to our fathers

and to remember His holy covenant,

⁷³the oath He swore to our father Abraham,

to grant us ⁷⁴deliverance from hostile hands,

that we may serve Him without fear,

⁷⁵in holiness and righteousness before Him

all the days of our lives.

⁷⁶And you, child, will be called

a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord

to prepare the way for Him,

⁷⁷to give to His people the knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins,

⁷⁸because of the tender mercy of our God,

by which the Dawn^f will visit us from on high,

⁷⁹to shine on those who live in darkness

and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet

into the path of peace.”

⁸⁰And the child grew and became strong in spirit;^g and he lived in the wilderness until the time of his public appearance to Israel.