Luke 1:16-80

16And he will 1turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17It is he who will 2go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of 3Elijah, 4to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to 5make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For 6I am an old man and my wife is advanced in 7years.” 19The angel answered and said to him, “I am 8Gabriel, who 910stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he 11kept 12making signs to them, and remained mute. 23When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.

24After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she 13kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25“This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to 14take away my disgrace among men.”

26Now in the sixth month the angel 15Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called 16Nazareth, 27to 17a virgin 18engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, 19of the 20descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was 21Mary. 28And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, 22favored one! The Lord 23is with you.” 29But she 24was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30The angel said to her, “25Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you 26shall name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of 27the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him 28the throne of His father David; 3329and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, 30and His kingdom will have no end.” 34Mary said to the angel, “How 31can this be, since I 32am a virgin?” 35The angel answered and said to her, “33The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of 34the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason 35the 36holy Child shall be called 37the Son of God. 36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and 38she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. 37For 3940nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, the 41bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

39Now 42at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to 43the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was 44filled with the Holy Spirit. 42And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43And 45how has it happened to me, that the mother of 46my Lord would come to me? 44For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45And 47blessed is she who 48believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her 49by the Lord.”

46And Mary said: “50My soul 5152exalts the Lord,47And 53my spirit has rejoiced in 54God my Savior.48For 55He has had regard for the humble state of His 56bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me 57blessed.49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.5058And His mercy is 59upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.5160He has done 61mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the 62thoughts of their heart.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has 63exalted those who were humble.5364He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed.54He has given help to Israel His servant, 65In remembrance of His mercy,5566As He spoke to our fathers, 67To Abraham and his 68descendants forever.”

56And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

57Now the time 69had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had 7071displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59And it happened that on 72the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, 73after his father. 60But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but 74he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” 62And they 75made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “76His name is John.” And they were all astonished. 6477And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. 65Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all 78the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For 79the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

67And his father Zacharias 80was filled with the Holy Spirit, and 81prophesied, saying:68“82Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished 83redemption for His people,69And has raised up a 84horn of salvation for us In the house of David 85His servant--7086As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets 87from of old--718889Salvation 90from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;7291To show mercy toward our fathers, 92And to remember His holy covenant,7393The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear,7594In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.76And you, child, will be called the 95prophet of 96the Most High; For you will go on 97before the Lord to 98prepare His ways;77To give to His people the knowledge of salvation 99By 100the forgiveness of their sins,78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which 101the Sunrise from on high will visit us,79102To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the 103way of peace.”

80104And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.