Luke 1:36–2:38

36  And behold, Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month to her that was called barren: 37  for nothing shall be impossible with God. 38  And Mary said, Behold the bondmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

39  And Mary, rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, 40  and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. 41  And it came to pass, as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42  and cried out with a loud voice and said, Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed the fruit of thy womb. 43  And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44  For behold, as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped with joy in my womb. 45  And blessed is she that has believed, for there shall be a fulfilment of the things spoken to her from the Lord. 46  And Mary said, My soul magnifies the Lord, 47  and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Saviour. 48  For he has looked upon the low estate of his bondmaid; for behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. 49  For the Mighty One has done to me great things, and holy is his name; 50  and his mercy is to generations and generations to them that fear him. 51  He has wrought strength with his arm; he has scattered haughty ones in the thought of their heart. 52  He has put down rulers from thrones, and exalted the lowly. 53  He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent away the rich empty. 54  He has helped Israel his servant, in order to remember mercy, 55  (as he spoke to our fathers,) to Abraham and to his seed for ever. 56  And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her house.

57  But the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth that she should bring forth, and she gave birth to a son. 58  And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy with her, and they rejoiced with her. 59  And it came to pass on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called it after the name of his father, Zacharias. 60  And his mother answering said, No; but he shall be called John. 61  And they said to her, There is no one among thy kinsfolk who is called by this name. 62  And they made signs to his father as to what he might wish it to be called. 63  And having asked for a writing-table, he wrote saying, John is his name. And they all wondered. 64  And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue, and he spake, blessing God. 65  And fear came upon all who dwelt round about them; and in the whole hill-country of Judaea all these things were the subject of conversation. 66  And all who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then will this child be? And the Lord’s hand was with him.

67  And Zacharias his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, 68  Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel, because he has visited and wrought redemption for his people, 69  and raised up a horn of deliverance for us in the house of David his servant; 70  as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who have been since the world began; 71  deliverance from our enemies and out of the hand of all who hate us; 72  to fulfil mercy with our fathers and remember his holy covenant, 73  the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, 74  to give us, that, saved out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear 75  in piety and righteousness before him all our days. 76  And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways; 77  to give knowledge of deliverance to his people by the remission of their sins 78  on account of the bowels of mercy of our God; wherein the dayspring from on high has visited us, 79  to shine upon them who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80  —And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit; and he was in the deserts until the day of his shewing to Israel.

Chapter 2

1  But it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census should be made of all the habitable world. 2  The census itself first took place when Cyrenius had the government of Syria. 3  And all went to be inscribed in the census roll, each to his own city: 4  and Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city Nazareth to Judaea, to David’s city, the which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5  to be inscribed in the census roll with Mary who was betrothed to him as his wife, she being great with child. 6  And it came to pass, while they were there, the days of her giving birth to her child were fulfilled, 7  and she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him up in swaddling-clothes and laid him in the manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8  And there were shepherds in that country abiding without, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 9  And lo, an angel of the Lord was there by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they feared with great fear. 10  And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I announce to you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people; 11  for to-day a Saviour has been born to you in David’s city, who is Christ the Lord. 12  And this is the sign to you: ye shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, and lying in a manger. 13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men. 15  And it came to pass, as the angels departed from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, Let us make our way then now as far as Bethlehem, and let us see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us. 16  And they came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger; 17  and having seen it they made known about the country the thing which had been said to them concerning this child. 18  And all who heard it wondered at the things said to them by the shepherds. 19  But Mary kept all these things in her mind, pondering them in her heart. 20  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all things which they had heard and seen, as it had been said to them.

21  And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising him, his name was called Jesus, which was the name given by the angel before he had been conceived in the womb. 22  And when the days were fulfilled for their purifying according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23  (as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord), 24  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord: A pair of turtle doves, or two young pigeons.

25  And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was just and pious, awaiting the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26  And it was divinely communicated to him by the Holy Spirit, that he should not see death before he should see the Lord’s Christ. 27  And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and as the parents brought in the child Jesus that they might do for him according to the custom of the law, 28  he received him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29  Lord, now thou lettest thy bondman go, according to thy word, in peace; 30  for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, 31  which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples; 32  a light for revelation of the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel. 33  And his father and mother wondered at the things which were said concerning him. 34  And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, Lo, this child is set for the fall and rising up of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against; 35  (and even a sword shall go through thine own soul;) so that the thoughts may be revealed from many hearts. 36  And there was a prophetess, Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who was far advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from her virginity, 37  and herself a widow up to eighty-four years; who did not depart from the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers; 38  and she coming up the same hour gave praise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all those who waited for redemption in Jerusalem.