Luke 1:39-80

39Now 1at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to 2the 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 3filled 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 4how has it happened to me, that the mother of 5my 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 6blessed is she who 7believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her 8by the Lord.”

46And Mary said: “9My soul 1011exalts the Lord,47And 12my spirit has rejoiced in 13God my Savior.48For 14He has had regard for the humble state of His 15bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me 16blessed.49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.5017And His mercy is 18upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.5119He has done 20mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the 21thoughts of their heart.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has 22exalted those who were humble.5323He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed.54He has given help to Israel His servant, 24In remembrance of His mercy,5525As He spoke to our fathers, 26To Abraham and his 27descendants forever.”

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

57Now the time 28had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had 2930displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59And it happened that on 31the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, 32after his father. 60But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but 33he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” 62And they 34made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “35His name is John.” And they were all astonished. 6436And 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 37the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For 38the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

67And his father Zacharias 39was filled with the Holy Spirit, and 40prophesied, saying:68“41Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished 42redemption for His people,69And has raised up a 43horn of salvation for us In the house of David 44His servant--7045As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets 46from of old--714748Salvation 49from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;7250To show mercy toward our fathers, 51And to remember His holy covenant,7352The 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,7553In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.76And you, child, will be called the 54prophet of 55the Most High; For you will go on 56before the Lord to 57prepare His ways;77To give to His people the knowledge of salvation 58By 59the forgiveness of their sins,78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which 60the Sunrise from on high will visit us,7961To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the 62way of peace.”

8063And 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.