Luke 1:26–80

Gabriel Predicts Jesus’ Birth

26 In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel m was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, n 27 to a virgin * engaged o to a man named Joseph, of the house of David. p The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And the angel came to her and said, “Rejoice, favored woman! The Lord is with you.” q 29 But she was deeply troubled r by this statement, wondering what kind of greeting this could be. 30 Then the angel told her:

Do not be afraid, Mary, s

for you have found favor with God. t

31 Now listen:

You will conceive and give birth to a son,

and you will call His name Jesus. u

32 He will be great

and will be called the Son of the Most High, v

and the Lord God will give Him

the throne of His father David. w

33 He will reign over the house of Jacob x forever,

and His kingdom will have no end. y

34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be, since I have not been intimate with a man?” z

35 The angel replied to her:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, a

and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

Therefore, the holy One to be born

will be called the Son of God. b

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.” c

38 “I am the Lord’s * slave,” d said Mary. “May it be done to me according to your word.” 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, e and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. f 42 Then she exclaimed with a loud cry:

“You are the most blessed of women,

and your child will be blessed! g

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! h 45 She who has believed is blessed because what was spoken to her by the Lord will be fulfilled!”

Mary’s Praise

46 And Mary said:

My soul proclaims the greatness of i the Lord, j

47 and my spirit has rejoiced k in God my Savior, l

48 because He has looked with favor

on the humble condition of His slave.

Surely, from now on all generations

will call me blessed, m

49 because the Mighty One n

has done great things for me, o

and His name p is holy.

50 His mercy is from generation to generation q

on those who fear Him.

51 He has done a mighty deed with His arm; r

He has scattered the proud

because of the thoughts of their hearts; s

52 He has toppled the mighty from their thrones

and exalted the lowly. t

53 He has satisfied the hungry with good things u

and sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped His servant Israel,

mindful of His mercy, v

55 just as He spoke to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his descendants w forever. x

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

The Birth and Naming of John

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, y z and they rejoiced with her.

59 When they came to circumcise the child on the eighth day, a they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But his mother responded, “No! He will be called John.” b

61 Then they said to her, “None of your relatives has that name.” 62 So they motioned to his father c 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 opened d 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 him e took it to heart, saying, “What then will this child become?” For, indeed, the Lord’s hand was with him.

Zechariah’s Prophecy

67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit f and prophesied: g

68 Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, h

because He has visited

and provided * redemption for His people. i

69 He has raised up a * horn of salvation j for us k

in the house of His servant David, l

70 just as He spoke by the mouth

of His holy prophets in ancient times; m

71 salvation from our enemies

and from the clutches n of those who hate us.

72 He has dealt mercifully with our fathers o

and remembered His holy covenant p—

73 the oath that He swore to our father Abraham. q

He has given us the privilege,

74 since we have been rescued

from our enemies’ clutches, r

to serve Him without fear

75 in holiness and righteousness

in His presence all our days.

76 And child, you will be called

a prophet of the Most High, s

for you will go before the Lord

to prepare His ways, t

77 to give His people knowledge of salvation

through the forgiveness of their sins. u

78 Because of our God’s merciful compassion,

the Dawn from on high v will visit us

79 to shine on those who live in darkness

and the shadow of death, w

to guide our feet into the way of peace.

80 The child grew up and became spiritually strong, x and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.