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With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
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When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
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for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
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And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
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The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
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But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.
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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.
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When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
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He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
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He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
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Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
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All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things.
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Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
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Zechariah’s Song
His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:
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to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
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And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
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He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
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Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
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and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
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Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
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It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
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Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
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There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
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And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.
