Luke 1:39–80

³⁹And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.

⁴⁰And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth.

⁴¹And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.

⁴²And she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

⁴³And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

⁴⁴For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

⁴⁵And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

⁴⁶And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.

⁴⁷And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

⁴⁸Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

⁴⁹Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name.

⁵⁰And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.

⁵¹He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

⁵²He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble.

⁵³He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away.

⁵⁴He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy.

⁵⁵As he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

⁵⁶And Mary abode with her about three months. And she returned to her own house.

⁵⁷Now Elizabeth’s full time of being delivered was come: and she brought forth a son.

⁵⁸And her neighbors and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her: and they congratulated with her.

⁵⁹And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child: and they called him by his father’s name Zachary.

⁶⁰And his mother answering, said: Not so. But he shall be called John.

⁶¹And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

⁶²And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

⁶³And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered.

⁶⁴And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed: and he spoke, blessing God.

⁶⁵And fear came upon all their neighbours: and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea.

⁶⁶And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.

⁶⁷And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost. And he prophesied, saying:

⁶⁸Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people.

⁶⁹And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant.

⁷⁰As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning.

⁷¹Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us.

⁷²To perform mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy testament.

⁷³The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us.

⁷⁴That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear:

⁷⁵In holiness and justice before him, all our days.

⁷⁶And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:

⁷⁷To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins.

⁷⁸Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us:

⁷⁹To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace.

⁸⁰And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit: and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel.