Luke 1:39-56

Contemporary English Version

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. ⁴⁰She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.

The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. ⁴²^(A) Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:

God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. ⁴³Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? ⁴⁴As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. ⁴⁵The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.

Mary's Song of Praise

⁴⁶^(B) Mary said:

With all my heart
    I praise the Lord,
⁴⁷and I am glad
    because of God my Savior.
⁴⁸God cares for me,
    his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
    God has blessed me.
⁴⁹God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
    and his name is holy.
⁵⁰He always shows mercy
to everyone
    who worships him.
⁵¹The Lord has used
    his powerful arm
to scatter those
    who are proud.
⁵²^(C) God drags strong rulers
    from their thrones
and puts humble people
    in places of power.
⁵³God gives the hungry
    good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
    with nothing.
⁵⁴God helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
    to his people.
⁵⁵^(D) The Lord made this promise
    to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
    forever!