Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month the angel (A)Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named (B)Nazareth, 27 (C)to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, (D)of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, (E)O favored one, (F)the Lord is with you!”[b] 29 But (G)she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for (H)you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, (I)you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and (J)you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (K)the Most High. And the Lord God (L)will give to him the throne of (M)his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob (N)forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[c]

35 And the angel answered her, (O)“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (P)the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be called (Q)holy—(R)the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her (S)who was called barren. 37 For (T)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[e] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And (U)the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into (V)the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth (W)was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, (X)“Blessed are you among women, and (Y)blessed is (Z)the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of (AA)my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And (AB)blessed is she who believed that there would be[f] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat

46 And Mary said,

(AC)“My (AD)soul (AE)magnifies the Lord,
47     (AF)and my (AG)spirit rejoices in (AH)God my Savior,
48 for (AI)he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations (AJ)will call me blessed;
49 for (AK)he who is mighty (AL)has done great things for me,
    and (AM)holy is his name.
50 And (AN)his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
51 (AO)He has shown strength with his arm;
    (AP)he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 (AQ)he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    (AR)and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled (AS)the hungry with good things,
    and the rich (AT)he has sent away empty.
54 He has (AU)helped (AV)his servant Israel,
    (AW)in remembrance of his mercy,
55 (AX)as he spoke to our fathers,
    (AY)to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:27 That is, legally pledged to be married
  2. Luke 1:28 Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women!
  3. Luke 1:34 Greek since I do not know a man
  4. Luke 1:35 Some manuscripts add of you
  5. Luke 1:38 Greek bondservant; also verse 48
  6. Luke 1:45 Or believed, for there will be

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