Luke 1:39-65

39A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town

40where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.

41At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.

43Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?

44When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

45You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

46Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.

47How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

48For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.

49For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me.

50He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him.

51His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.

52He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.

53He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands.

54He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful.

55For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

56Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

57When it was time for Elizabeth’s baby to be born, she gave birth to a son.

58And when her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very merciful to her, everyone rejoiced with her.

59When the baby was eight days old, they all came for the circumcision ceremony. They wanted to name him Zechariah, after his father.

60But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John!”

61“What?” they exclaimed. “There is no one in all your family by that name.”

62So they used gestures to ask the baby’s father what he wanted to name him.

63He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is John.”

64Instantly Zechariah could speak again, and he began praising God.

65Awe fell upon the whole neighborhood, and the news of what had happened spread throughout the Judean hills.