God’s Promise to David^(A)

7 After the king was settled in his palace^(B) and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies^(C) around him,^{(D) 2} he said to Nathan^(E) the prophet, “Here I am, living in a house^(F) of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.”^(G)

³ Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind,^(H) go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”

⁴ But that night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:

Mary’s Song^(A)

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

²⁵ Now to him who is able^(A) to establish you in accordance with my gospel,^(B) the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery^(C) hidden for long ages past, ²⁶ but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings^(D) by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from^[a] faith^(E)— ²⁷ to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.^(F)

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel^(A) to Nazareth,^(B) a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,^(C) a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,^(D) Mary; you have found favor with God.^{(E) 31} You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.^{(F) 32} He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.^(G) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,^{(H) 33} and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom^(I) will never end.”^(J)

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you,^(K) and the power of the Most High^(L) will overshadow you. So the holy one^(M) to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God.^{(N) 36} Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child^(O) in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”^(P)

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.