The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the time of Herod king of Judea^(A) there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah;^(B) his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.^{(C) 7} But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,^{(D) 9} he was chosen by lot,^(E) according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.^{(F) 10} And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.^(G)

¹¹ Then an angel^(H) of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.^{(I) 12} When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.^{(J) 13} But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,^(K) Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.^{(L) 14} He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,^{(M) 15} for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,^(N) and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit^(O) even before he is born.^{(P) 16} He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ And he will go on before the Lord,^(Q) in the spirit and power of Elijah,^(R) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children^(S) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”^(T)

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?^(U) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”^(V)

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.^(W) I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak^(X) until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(Y) to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(Z) among the people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel^(AA) to Nazareth,^(AB) a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,^(AC) 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,^(AD) Mary; you have found favor with God.^{(AE) 31} You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.^{(AF) 32} He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.^(AG) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,^{(AH) 33} and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom^(AI) will never end.”^(AJ)

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,^(AK) and the power of the Most High^(AL) will overshadow you. So the holy one^(AM) to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God.^{(AN) 36} Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child^(AO) 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.”^(AP)

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

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,^{(AQ) 40} where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.^{(AR) 42} In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,^(AS) and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord^(AT) should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song^(AU)

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.