Luke 1:39-66

New International Version

Mary Visits Elizabeth

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

Mary’s Song^(E)

⁴⁶And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord^(F)
⁴⁷    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,^(G)
⁴⁸for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.^(H)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,^(I)
⁴⁹    for the Mighty One has done great things^(J) for me—
    holy is his name.^(K)
⁵⁰His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.^(L)
⁵¹He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;^(M)
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.^(N)
⁵²He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.^(O)
⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things^(P)
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful^(Q)
⁵⁵to Abraham and his descendants^(R) forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

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

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹On the eighth day they came to circumcise^(S) the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”^(T)

⁶¹They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶²Then they made signs^(U) to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”^(V) ⁶⁴Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak,^(W) praising God. ⁶⁵All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea^(X) people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.^(Y)