Luke 1:26-80

26In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

27to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”

29But she was deeply troubled by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be.

30Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

31Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.

32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.

33He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”

34Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”

35The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

36And consider your relative Elizabeth — even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless.

37For nothing will be impossible with God.”

38“See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

39In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah

40where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed!

43How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me.

45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”

46And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord,

47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,

49because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.

50His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.

51He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts;

52he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

53He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

54He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy

55to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.

56And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.

57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son.

58Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her his great mercy, and they rejoiced with her.

59When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father.

60But his mother responded, “No. He will be called John.”

61Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.”

62So they motioned to his father to find out what he wanted him to be called.

63He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.

64Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God.

65Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea.

66All who heard about him took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.

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

68Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and provided redemption for his people.

69He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,

70just as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets in ancient times;

71salvation from our enemies and from the hand of those who hate us.

72He has dealt mercifully with our ancestors and remembered his holy covenant  —

73the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant that we,

74having been rescued from the hand of our enemies, would serve him without fear

75in holiness and righteousness in his presence all our days.

76And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,

77to give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins.

78Because of our God’s merciful compassion, the dawn from on high will visit us

79to shine on those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80The child grew up and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.