Luke 1:5-80

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. 37For 5859nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, the 60bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

39Now 61at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to 62the 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 63filled 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 64how has it happened to me, that the mother of 65my 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 66blessed is she who 67believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her 68by the Lord.”

46And Mary said: “69My soul 7071exalts the Lord,47And 72my spirit has rejoiced in 73God my Savior.48For 74He has had regard for the humble state of His 75bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me 76blessed.49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.5077And His mercy is 78upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.5179He has done 80mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the 81thoughts of their heart.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has 82exalted those who were humble.5383He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed.54He has given help to Israel His servant, 84In remembrance of His mercy,5585As He spoke to our fathers, 86To Abraham and his 87descendants forever.”

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

57Now the time 88had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had 8990displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59And it happened that on 91the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, 92after his father. 60But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but 93he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” 62And they 94made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “95His name is John.” And they were all astonished. 6496And 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 97the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For 98the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

67And his father Zacharias 99was filled with the Holy Spirit, and 100prophesied, saying:68“101Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished 102redemption for His people,69And has raised up a 103horn of salvation for us In the house of David 104His servant--70105As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets 106from of old--71107108Salvation 109from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;72110To show mercy toward our fathers, 111And to remember His holy covenant,73112The 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,75113In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.76And you, child, will be called the 114prophet of 115the Most High; For you will go on 116before the Lord to 117prepare His ways;77To give to His people the knowledge of salvation 118By 119the forgiveness of their sins,78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which 120the Sunrise from on high will visit us,79121To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the 122way of peace.”

80123And 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.