Luke 1:5-36

51In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named 2Zacharias, of the 3division of 4Abijah; and he had a wife 5from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6They were both 6righteous in the sight of God, walking 7blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in 8years.

8Now it happened that while 9he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot 10to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer 11outside at the hour of the incense offering. 11And 12an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and 13fear 14gripped him. 13But the angel said to him, “15Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and 16you will 17give him the name John. 14You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will 18drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit 19while yet in his mother’s womb. 16And he will 20turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17It is he who will 21go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of 22Elijah, 23to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to 24make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For 25I am an old man and my wife is advanced in 26years.” 19The angel answered and said to him, “I am 27Gabriel, who 2829stands 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 30kept 31making 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 32kept 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 33take away my disgrace among men.”

26Now in the sixth month the angel 34Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called 35Nazareth, 27to 36a virgin 37engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, 38of the 39descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was 40Mary. 28And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, 41favored one! The Lord 42is with you.” 29But she 43was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. 30The angel said to her, “44Do 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 45shall name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of 46the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him 47the throne of His father David; 3348and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, 49and His kingdom will have no end.” 34Mary said to the angel, “How 50can this be, since I 51am a virgin?” 35The angel answered and said to her, “52The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of 53the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason 54the 55holy Child shall be called 56the Son of God. 36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and 57she who was called barren is now in her sixth month.