-
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
-
He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
-
and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
-
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
-
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.
-
Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
-
For no word from God will ever fail.”
-
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
-
Mary Visits Elizabeth
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
-
where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
-
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
-
In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
-
But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
-
As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.
-
Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
-
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,
-
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
-
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
-
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
-
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
-
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
-
The Birth of John the Baptist
When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son.
-
On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
-
but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
-
Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
