Luke 1:16-80

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

18Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For 6I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her 7years.” 19The angel answered and said to him, “I am 8Gabriel, who 910stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20And behold, you will 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 at their proper time.”

21And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, 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 repeatedly 1112made signs to them, and remained speechless. 23When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.

24Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself 13in 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 people.”

26Now in the sixth month the angel 15Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named 16Nazareth, 27to 17a virgin 18betrothed 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, favored one! The Lord 22is with you.” 29But she 23was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30And the angel said to her, “24Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you 25shall name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of 26the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him 27the throne of His father David; 3328and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, 29and His kingdom will have no end.” 34But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I 30am a virgin?” 35The angel answered and said to her, “31The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of 32the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also 33the 34holy Child will be called 35the Son of God. 36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and 36she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. 37For 37nothing will be impossible with God.” 38And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

39Now 38at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to 39the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was 40filled 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 41how has it happened to me that the mother of 42my 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 43blessed is she who 44believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her 45by the Lord.”

46And Mary said: “46My soul 4748exalts the Lord,47And 49my spirit has rejoiced in 50God my Savior.48For 51He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will 52call me 53blessed.49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.5054And His mercy is to generation 55after generation Toward those who fear Him.5156He has done 57mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the 58thoughts of their hearts.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has 59exalted those who were humble.5360He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed.54He has given help to His servant Israel, 61In remembrance of His mercy,5562Just as He spoke to our fathers, 63To Abraham and his 64descendants forever.”

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

57Now the time 65had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had 6667displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59And it happened that on 68the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, 69after his father. 60And yet his mother responded and said, “No indeed; but 70he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62And they 7172made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote 73as follows, “74His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 6475And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began speaking in praise of God. 65And fear came on all those who lived around them; and all these matters were being talked about in 76the entire hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For indeed 77the hand of the Lord was with him.

67And his father Zechariah 78was filled with the Holy Spirit and 79prophesied, saying:68“80Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished 81redemption for His people,69And has raised up a 82horn of salvation for us In the house of 83His servant David--7084Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets 85from ancient times--718687Salvation 88from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;7289To show mercy to our fathers, 90And to remember His holy covenant,7391The oath which He swore to our father Abraham,74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Would serve Him without fear,7592In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.76And you, child, also will be called the 93prophet of 94the Most High; For you will go on 95before the Lord to 96prepare His ways;77To give His people the knowledge of salvation 97By 98the forgiveness of their sins,78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which 99the Sunrise from on high will visit us,79100To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the 101way of peace.”

80102Now the child grew and was becoming strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.