Luke 1:26-56
Expanded Bible
An Angel Appears to Mary
26 During Elizabeth’s sixth month of pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel [1:19] to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin. She was ·engaged to marry [pledged to; C engagement was a binding contract between two families and could only be broken by divorce] a man named Joseph ·from the family [a descendent; L from the house] of David. ·Her [L The virgin’s] name was Mary. 28 The angel came to her and said, “·Greetings [Hello; L Rejoice; C a common greeting]! ·The Lord has blessed you and is with you [or …favored one, the Lord is with you].”
29 But Mary was ·very startled [disturbed; perplexed; troubled] by what the angel said and wondered what ·this greeting might mean [sort of greeting this was].
30 The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; [L for; because] ·God has shown you his grace [L you have found favor/grace with God]. 31 ·Listen [L Look; T Behold]! You will ·become pregnant [L conceive in your womb] and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus [Is. 7:14]. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of ·King David, his ancestor [L his father David]. 33 He will ·rule [reign] over the ·people [L house] of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end [2 Sam. 7:13, 16; Dan. 7:14, 27].”
34 Mary said to the angel, “How ·will [can] this happen since ·I am a virgin [L I have not known a man (sexually)]?”
35 The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come ·upon [over] you, and the power of the Most High will ·cover [overshadow] you. For this reason the ·baby will be holy and [holy one to be born] will be called the Son of God. 36 ·Now [L And look/T behold] Elizabeth, your relative, ·is also pregnant with [has also conceived] a son ·though she is very old [in her old age]. ·Everyone thought she could not have a baby, but she has been pregnant for six months. [L And this is the sixth month for the woman they called barren!] 37 ·God can do anything […because nothing is impossible with God; or …because no word/message from God will ever fail; Gen. 18:14; Jer. 32:17]!”
38 Mary said, “[L Look; T Behold] I am the ·servant [bondservant; T handmaid] of the Lord. Let this happen to me ·as you say [according to your word]!” Then the angel ·went away [left her].
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 [L In those days] Mary got up and went quickly to a town in the hills of Judea [C from Galilee in the north to southern Israel, about three or four days journey by foot]. 40 She ·came to [entered] Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the unborn baby ·inside her [in her womb] ·jumped [leaped; kicked], and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She cried out in a loud voice, “·God has blessed you [L You are blessed] ·more than any other woman [L among women], and ·he has blessed the baby to which you will give birth [L blessed is the fruit of your womb]. 43 [L But] Why ·has this good thing happened to me [am I so honored], that the mother of my Lord comes to me? 44 [L For look/T behold] When I heard ·your voice [L the sound of your greeting], the baby inside ·me [my womb] ·jumped [leaped; kicked] with joy. 45 ·You are blessed because you [L Blessed is she who has] believed that what the Lord said would ·really happen [be fulfilled].”
Mary Praises God
46 Then Mary said,
“My soul ·praises [exalts; glorifies; magnifies] the Lord [1 Sam. 2:1–10];
47 my ·heart [spirit] rejoices in God my Savior [Ps. 35:9],
48 because he has ·shown his concern for [noticed; looked favorably on] his ·humble [lowly] servant girl [1 Sam. 1:11].
[L For look/T behold] From now on, all ·people [L generations] will ·say that I am [call me] blessed [Ps. 138:6],
49 because the ·Powerful [Mighty] One has done great things for me.
His name is holy.
50 ·God will show his mercy [L His mercy is/continues] ·forever and ever [L to generations and generations]
to those who ·worship and serve [L fear; reverence] him [Ps. 103:17].
51 He has done mighty deeds ·by his power [L with his arm; C a metaphor for strength].
He has scattered the people who are proud
·and think great things about themselves [or in the schemes they devise; L in the thoughts/intentions of their hearts].
52 He has brought down ·rulers [the powerful] from their thrones
and ·raised up [exalted] the ·humble [lowly].
53 He has filled the hungry with good things [Ps. 107:9]
and sent the rich away ·with nothing [empty-handed].
54 He has helped his servant, the people of Israel,
·remembering to show them [mindful of his] mercy
55 as he promised to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his ·children [descendants; L seed] forever [Gen. 17:7, 19].”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
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Luke 2:1-7
Expanded Bible
The Birth of Jesus
2 At that time, Augustus Caesar sent an ·order [decree] that all people in the ·countries under Roman rule [empire; Roman world] must ·list their names in a register [register for taxation]. 2 ·This was the first registration; it was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria [or This was the first census while Quirinius was governor of Syria; or This census occurred before Quirinius was governor of Syria]. 3 And all went to their own towns to be registered.
4 So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, known as the town of David [C Bethlehem was David’s hometown]. Joseph went there because he was from the ·family [L house and family line] of David. 5 Joseph registered with Mary, to whom he was ·engaged [pledged to be married; see 1:27] and who was now pregnant. 6 While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, 7 and she gave birth to her first son. She wrapped the baby ·with pieces of cloth [in cloths; T in swaddling clothes] and laid him in a ·feeding trough [T manger], because there ·were no rooms [was no space/room] left in the ·inn [or guest room (of a private residence); or caravan shelter].
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