Luke 1:26–56

GABRIEL PREDICTS JESUS’S BIRTH

²⁶In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel^ae was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,^{af 27}to a virgin engaged^Aag to a man named Joseph, of the house of David.^ah The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸And the angel came to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you.”^{B 29}But she was deeply troubled^ai by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. ³⁰Then 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 Jacob^c forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”^d

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

³⁵The 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. ³⁷For 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

³⁹In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah ⁴⁰where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When 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!^{D 43}How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me. ⁴⁵Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”

MARY’S PRAISE

⁴⁶And Mary said:

My soul magnifies ^C the Lord,ⁱ

⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices^j in God my Savior,^k

⁴⁸because he has looked with favor

on the humble condition of his servant.

Surely, from now on all generations

will call me blessed,^l

⁴⁹because the Mighty One^m

has done great things for me,ⁿ

and his name^o is holy.

⁵⁰His mercy is from generation to generation^p

on those who fear him.

⁵¹He has done a mighty deed with his arm;^q

he has scattered the proud

because of the thoughts of their hearts;^r

⁵²he has toppled the mighty from their thrones

and exalted the lowly.^s

⁵³He has satisfied the hungry with good things^t

and sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,

remembering his mercy

⁵⁵to Abraham and his descendants^A forever,^u

just as he spoke to our ancestors.

⁵⁶And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.