The Seventy “Sevens”

²⁰ While I was speaking and praying, confessing^(A) my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to the Lord my God for his holy hill^(B)— ²¹ while I was still in prayer, Gabriel,^(C) the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice.^(D)

¹⁰ A hand touched me^(A) and set me trembling on my hands and knees.^{(B) 11} He said, “Daniel, you who are highly esteemed,^(C) consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up,^(D) for I have now been sent to you.” And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling.

¹² Then he continued, “Do not be afraid,^(E) Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble^(F) yourself before your God, your words^(G) were heard, and I have come in response to them.^{(H) 13} But the prince^(I) of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael,^(J) one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. ¹⁴ Now I have come to explain^(K) to you what will happen to your people in the future,^(L) for the vision concerns a time yet to come.^(M)”

¹⁵ While he was saying this to me, I bowed with my face toward the ground and was speechless.^{(N) 16} Then one who looked like a man^[a] touched my lips, and I opened my mouth and began to speak.^(O) I said to the one standing before me, “I am overcome with anguish^(P) because of the vision, my lord, and I feel very weak. ¹⁷ How can I, your servant, talk with you, my lord? My strength is gone and I can hardly breathe.”^(Q)

¹⁸ Again the one who looked like a man touched^(R) me and gave me strength.^{(S) 19} “Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,”^(T) he said. “Peace!^(U) Be strong now; be strong.”^(V)

When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”^(W)

²⁰ So he said, “Do you know why I have come to you? Soon I will return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I go, the prince of Greece^(X) will come; ²¹ but first I will tell you what is written in the Book of Truth.^(Y) (No one supports me against them except Michael,^(Z) your prince.

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

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

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.^(P) 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^(Q) until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

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.

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.^(A) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior^(B) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,^(C) the Lord.^{(D) 12} This will be a sign^(E) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,