Luke 1:8-42

⁸While Zechariah was serving as a priest before God, on behalf of his priestly division,

⁹he was chosen by lot according to priestly custom to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense.

¹⁰During the time of offering incense a large crowd of people were praying outside.

¹¹An angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing to the right of the altar of incense.

¹²When Zechariah saw the angel, he was startled and became terrified.

¹³But the angel told him, “Don't be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call him John.

¹⁴He will bring you joy and gladness, and many will celebrate his birth.

¹⁵He will be great in the sight of the Lord. He will refuse to drink wine or other alcoholic drink. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he's born.

¹⁶He will turn many Israelites back to the Lord their God.

¹⁷He will go ahead of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the fathers back to thinking about their children, and to turn those who are rebellious back to a right understanding—to prepare a people ready for the Lord.”

¹⁸“How can I be sure about this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “I'm an old man, and my wife is getting old too.”

¹⁹“I am Gabriel,” the angel replied. “I stand in God's presence, and I was sent to speak to you and give you this good news.

²⁰But since you didn't believe what I told you, you'll become dumb, unable to speak, until the appointed time when my words come true.”

²¹Outside the people were waiting for Zechariah, wondering why he was taking so long in the Temple.

²²When eventually he came out, he wasn't able to speak to them. They realized he'd seen a vision in the Temple, for though he could make gestures, he was completely dumb.

²³After he'd finished his time of service, he went back home.

²⁴Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. She stayed at home for five months.

²⁵“The Lord has done this for me,” she said, “now that he's taken away my disgrace in the eyes of others.”

²⁶In the sixth month of her pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a young girl called Mary who lived in the town of Nazareth in Galilee.

²⁷She was engaged to a man named Joseph.

²⁸The angel greeted her. “You are very privileged,” he told her. “The Lord is with you.”

²⁹Mary was very puzzled at what he said, and wondered what this greeting meant.

³⁰“Don't worry, Mary,” the angel went on, “for God has shown his graciousness to you.

³¹You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You shall call him Jesus.

³²He will be very great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,

³³and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. His kingdom will never come to an end.”

³⁴“How is this possible?” Mary asked. “I'm still a virgin.”

³⁵He replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you. The baby who is to be born is holy, and will be called the Son of God.

³⁶And Elizabeth, your relative, even she is pregnant in her old age. The woman that people said couldn't have children is already six months pregnant.

³⁷Nothing is impossible for God.”

³⁸“Here I am, ready to be the Lord's servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me just as you said.” Then the angel left her.

³⁹A little while later, Mary got herself ready and hurried up into the hills of Judea, to the town where

⁴⁰Zechariah's house was. She called out to Elizabeth as she went in.

⁴¹As soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's voice, the baby jumped for joy inside her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit,

⁴²and cried out in a loud voice, “How blessed you are among women, and how blessed will be the child born to you!