Luke 1:35–66
35 The angel replied to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you,e and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.f 36 And consider your relative Elizabeth—even she has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called childless. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”g
38 “See, I am the Lord’s servant,” said Mary. “May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.
39 In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah 40 where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.h 42 Then she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed!B 43 How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”
46 And Mary said:
My soul magnifies the Lord,i
47 and my spirit rejoicesj in God my Savior,k
48 because he has looked with favor
on the humble condition of his servant.
Surely, from now on all generations
will call me blessed,l
49 because the Mighty Onem
has done great things for me,n
and his nameo is holy.
50 His mercy is from generation to generationp
on those who fear him.
51 He has done a mighty deed with his arm;q
he has scattered the proud
because of the thoughts of their hearts;r
52 he has toppled the mighty from their thrones
and exalted the lowly.s
53 He has satisfied the hungry with good thingst
and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering his mercy
55 to Abraham and his descendantsD forever,u
just as he spoke to our ancestors.
56 And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.
57 Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she had a son. 58 Then her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her his great mercy,v and they rejoiced with her.
59 When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day,w they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But his mother responded, “No. He will be called John.”x
61 Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” 62 So they motioned to his fathery to find out what he wanted him to be called. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was openedz and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came on all those who lived around them, and all these things were being talked about throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard about himaa took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.