Luke 1:23-34

New International Version

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(A) among the people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel^(B) to Nazareth,^(C) a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,^(D) a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,^(E) Mary; you have found favor with God.^{(F) 31} You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.^{(G) 32} He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.^(H) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,^{(I) 33} and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom^(J) will never end.”^(K)

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”