21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was making signs to themac and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgracead among the people.”

GABRIEL PREDICTS JESUS’S BIRTH

26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabrielae was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,af 27 to a virgin engagedC,ag to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.ah The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”D 29 But she was deeply troubledai by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,aj for you have found favor with God.ak 31 Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.al 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High,a and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.b 33 He will reign over the house of Jacobc forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”d

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?”A

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.

MARY’S VISIT TO ELIZABETH

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!”

MARY’S PRAISE

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.