Luke 1:5-44

5There was a man whose name was Zechariah. He lived when Herod was king of Judea. Zechariah was a priest and he belonged to a group of priests from the family of Abijah. He had a wife called Elizabeth. She also was from the family of the priest called Aaron.

6Zechariah and Elizabeth obeyed God's commands and rules. God saw that they were righteous people. They did not do wrong things.

7But they had no children. Elizabeth could not give birth and they were both getting old.

8One day, Zechariah's group of priests was working at the temple. He had a special job to do there.

9The priests chose one of their group to go into the holy place in the temple. This time they chose Zechariah. His job was to burn incense there.

10While Zechariah was burning incense in the special room, many men were outside in the yard. They were praying to God.

11The incense was burning on a special altar, when one of God's angels appeared to Zechariah. The angel was standing at the right hand side of the altar.

12When Zechariah saw the angel, he was very surprised and very afraid.

13The angel said to him, ‘Zechariah, do not be afraid. God has heard what you prayed. He will give you what you asked for. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a baby boy. You will give him the name “John”.

14He will be very important to the Lord God. So he will make you very happy. Many other people will also be very happy because he has been born. He must never drink anything with alcohol in it. From the time that he is born, the Holy Spirit will live inside him.

16He will teach many people in Israel. Then they will turn their lives back to the Lord their God and they will obey God again.

17John will prepare the people for the Lord to come to them. The Holy Spirit will lead John as he led Elijah. John will do powerful things as Elijah did. He will help fathers to love their children. He will teach people who do not obey God. Then they will know what things are right. And they will do them. Then they will be ready when the Lord comes.’

18Zechariah asked the angel, ‘How can I be sure about this? You know that I am an old man. My wife is also old.’

19The angel answered, ‘I am called Gabriel. My place is to stand in front of God. I am always ready to work for God. He has sent me to speak to you. He told me that I should tell you this good news.

20Now listen to me. Because you did not believe my message, you will not be able to speak. You will not speak again until the time that your son is born. My message will really become true at the right time.’

21While this was happening, the people outside were waiting for Zechariah. They were thinking, ‘Why has Zechariah stayed for such a long time in the special room? Why has he not come out yet?’

22When he did come out, he tried to talk to them. But he could not speak. So they knew that God had showed him something special in the room. He was moving his head and his hands about, to tell them what had happened. But still he could not speak.

23When Zechariah had finished his work in the temple, he returned home.

24Soon, a baby was growing inside his wife Elizabeth. She stayed in her house for five months.

25‘The Lord has now given me a baby,’ she said. ‘He has been kind to me. Because of this, other people cannot say bad things about me now.’

26When Elizabeth's baby had grown inside her for nearly six months, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth. Nazareth is a town in Galilee.

27Gabriel went there to visit a young woman. Her name was Mary. She had never had sex with anyone. She had promised to marry a man called Joseph. He belonged to the family of King David.

28Gabriel went to Mary and said, ‘Hello, Mary. The Lord God loves you very much. He is very near to you.’

29Mary had a lot of problems in her mind about Gabriel's message. She did not understand what he meant.

30Then Gabriel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary. God has been kind to you.

31Listen! A baby boy will grow inside you. When he is born, you will call him Jesus.

32He will be great. People will call him the Son of the powerful God who is over all. The Lord God will make him king. He will rule as his ancestor King David ruled.

33He will rule over the family of Jacob for all time. He will be king for all time, without end.’

34Mary asked, ‘How can this happen? I have never had sex with anyone.’

35Gabriel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come to you. The power of God who is over all will cover you like a shadow. So your child will be special to God. He will be completely good. He will be called God's Son.

36Another thing! Your cousin, Elizabeth, is very old. People said that she could not have a baby. Listen! She also will have a son. The baby has grown inside her now for nearly six months.

37There is nothing that God cannot do.’

38Mary answered, ‘I am the servant of the Lord. I have heard what you have said. I want it to happen to me just like that.’ Then the angel left her.

39After that, Mary prepared herself to travel. She hurried to a town in the hills of Judea.

40When she arrived at the home of Zechariah, she said ‘hello’ to Elizabeth.

41When Elizabeth heard Mary speak, she felt her baby move quickly inside her. The Holy Spirit filled her.

42She spoke to Mary in a loud voice, ‘God has made you very happy. He has been good and kind to you more than to other women. He has also been good and kind to your baby.

43You are the mother of my Lord and I am not an important person. So it is very good that you have visited me.

44Listen! When I heard you say, “Hello” to me, my baby moved quickly inside me. He was very happy.