The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

⁵ In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.^{(A) 6} Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.^{(B) 7} But they had no children because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

²⁵ Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested on him.^{(A) 26} It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.^{[a](B) 27} Guided by the Spirit, Simeon^[b] came into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary under the law,^{(C) 28} Simeon^[c] took him in his arms and praised God, saying,

³⁶ There was also a prophet, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,^{(A) 37} then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.^{(B) 38} At that moment she came and began to praise God and to speak about the child^[a] to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.^(C)

The Resurrection of Jesus

24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared.^{(A) 2} They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they went in they did not find the body.^{[a] 4} While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them.^{(B) 5} The women^[b] were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men^[c] said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen.^{[d] 6} Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,^{(C) 7} that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” ⁸ Then they remembered his words,^{(D) 9} and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest.^{(E) 10} Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles.^{(F) 11} But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.^{(G) 12} But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.^[e]