Luke 1:8-57

⁸Now it came about that Zechariah was in God's presence, carrying out the priestly duties in the order of his division.

⁹According to the customary way of choosing which priest would serve, he had been chosen by lot to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.

¹⁰The whole crowd of people was praying outside at the hour when the incense was burned.

¹¹Now an angel of the Lord appeared to him and stood at the right side of the incense altar.

¹²When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified and fear fell on him.

¹³But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You will call his name John.

¹⁴You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.

¹⁵For he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb.

¹⁶Many of the people of Israel will be turned to the Lord their God.

¹⁷He will go before the face of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”

¹⁸Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is very old.”

¹⁹The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, to bring you this good news.

²⁰Behold! You will be silent, unable to speak, until the day these things take place. This is because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at the right time.”

²¹Now the people were waiting for Zechariah. They were surprised that he was spending so much time in the temple.

²²But when he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized that he had seen a vision while he was in the temple. He kept on making signs to them and remained silent.

²³It came about that when the days of his service were over, he went to his house.

²⁴After these days, his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months she kept herself hidden. She said,

²⁵“This is what the Lord has done for me when he looked at me with favor in order to take away my shame before people.”

²⁶In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named Nazareth,

²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph. He belonged to the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary.

²⁸He came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹But she was very confused by his words and she wondered what kind of greeting this could be.

³⁰The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

³¹See, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son. You will call his name 'Jesus.'

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

³³He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”

³⁴Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen, since I have not slept with any man?”

³⁵The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will come over you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

³⁶See, your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. This is the sixth month for her, she who was called barren.

³⁷For nothing will be impossible for God.”

³⁸Mary said, “See, I am the female servant of the Lord. Let it be for me according to your message.” Then the angel left her.

³⁹Then Mary arose in those days and quickly went into the hill country, to a city in Judea.

⁴⁰She went into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

⁴¹Now it happened that when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb jumped, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

⁴²She raised her voice and said loudly, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

⁴³Why has it happened to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

⁴⁴For see, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.

⁴⁵Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of the things that were told her from the Lord.”

⁴⁶Mary said, “My soul praises the Lord,

⁴⁷and my spirit has rejoiced in God my savior.

⁴⁸For he has looked at the low condition of his female servant. For see, from now on all generations will call me blessed.

⁴⁹For he who is mighty has done great things for me, and his name is holy.

⁵⁰His mercy lasts from generation to generation for those who fear him.

⁵¹He has displayed strength with his arm; he has scattered those who were proud about the thoughts of their hearts.

⁵²He has thrown down princes from their thrones and he has raised up those of low condition.

⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he has sent away empty.

⁵⁴He has given help to Israel his servant, so as to remember to show mercy

⁵⁵(as he said to our fathers) to Abraham and his descendants forever.”

⁵⁶Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned to her house.

⁵⁷Now the time had come for Elizabeth to deliver her baby and she gave birth to a son.