Luke 1:26-80

26Now in the sixth month the angel 1Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named 2Nazareth, 27to 3a virgin 4betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, 5of the 6descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was 7Mary. 28And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord 8is with you.” 29But she 9was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30And the angel said to her, “10Do 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 11shall name Him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of 12the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him 13the throne of His father David; 3314and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, 15and His kingdom will have no end.” 34But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I 16am a virgin?” 35The angel answered and said to her, “17The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of 18the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also 19the 20holy Child will be called 21the Son of God. 36And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and 22she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. 37For 23nothing 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 24at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to 25the 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 26filled 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 27how has it happened to me that the mother of 28my 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 29blessed is she who 30believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her 31by the Lord.”

46And Mary said: “32My soul 3334exalts the Lord,47And 35my spirit has rejoiced in 36God my Savior.48For 37He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant; For behold, from now on all generations will 38call me 39blessed.49For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name.5040And His mercy is to generation 41after generation Toward those who fear Him.5142He has done 43mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the 44thoughts of their hearts.52He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has 45exalted those who were humble.5346He has filled the hungry with good things, And sent the rich away empty-handed.54He has given help to His servant Israel, 47In remembrance of His mercy,5548Just as He spoke to our fathers, 49To Abraham and his 50descendants forever.”

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

57Now the time 51had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had 5253displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

59And it happened that on 54the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, 55after his father. 60And yet his mother responded and said, “No indeed; but 56he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62And they 5758made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote 59as follows, “60His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 6461And 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 62the 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 63the hand of the Lord was with him.

67And his father Zechariah 64was filled with the Holy Spirit and 65prophesied, saying:68“66Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished 67redemption for His people,69And has raised up a 68horn of salvation for us In the house of 69His servant David--7070Just as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets 71from ancient times--717273Salvation 74from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us;7275To show mercy to our fathers, 76And to remember His holy covenant,7377The 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,7578In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.76And you, child, also will be called the 79prophet of 80the Most High; For you will go on 81before the Lord to 82prepare His ways;77To give His people the knowledge of salvation 83By 84the forgiveness of their sins,78Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which 85the Sunrise from on high will visit us,7986To shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the 87way of peace.”

8088Now the child grew and was becoming strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.