Luke 1:18-30

¹⁸“How can I be sure of this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.”

¹⁹“I am Gabriel,” the angel answered, “who stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news.

²⁰And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course.”

²¹Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple.

²²When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb.

²³And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.

²⁴After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months.

²⁵“The Lord has done this for me,” she said, “he has shown me kindness and taken away the public disgrace of childlessness under which I have been living.”

²⁶Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

²⁷to a maiden there who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary.

²⁸Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying, “You have been shown great favor - the Lord is with you.”

²⁹Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wondering to herself what such a greeting could mean,

³⁰when the angel spoke again, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.