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Luke 1:18-56
New American Standard Bible
Luke 1:18-56
New American Standard Bible
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this? For (A)I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in her [a]years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am (B)Gabriel, who [b](C)stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21 And meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple, and he repeatedly (D)[c]made signs to them, and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his priestly service were concluded, he went back home.
24 Now after these days his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, and she kept herself [d]in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to (E)take away my disgrace among people.”
Jesus’ Birth Foretold
26 Now in the sixth month the angel (F)Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee named (G)Nazareth, 27 to (H)a virgin [e]betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, (I)of the [f]descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was [g]Mary. 28 And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord [h]is with you.” 29 But she (J)was very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was. 30 And the angel said to her, “(K)Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and you (L)shall name Him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (M)the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him (N)the throne of His father David; 33 (O)and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, (P)and His kingdom will have no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I [i]am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered and said to her, “(Q)The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (R)the Most High will overshadow you; for that reason also (S)the [j]holy Child will be called (T)the Son of God. 36 And behold, even your relative Elizabeth herself has conceived a son in her old age, and [k]she who was called infertile is now in her sixth month. 37 For (U)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s bond-servant; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Now [l]at this time Mary set out and went in a hurry to (V)the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was (W)filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And [m]how has it happened to me that the mother of (X)my Lord would come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45 And (Y)blessed is she who [n]believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her [o]by the Lord.”
Mary’s Song: The Magnificat
46 And Mary said:
“(Z)My soul [p](AA)exalts the Lord,
47 And (AB)my spirit has rejoiced in (AC)God my Savior.
48 For (AD)He has had regard for the humble state of His bond-servant;
For behold, from now on all generations will [q]call me (AE)blessed.
49 For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
50 (AF)And His mercy is to generation [r]after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
51 (AG)He has done [s]mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the [t]thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has (AH)exalted those who were humble.
53 (AI)He has filled the hungry with good things,
And sent the rich away empty-handed.
54 He has given help to His servant Israel,
[u]In remembrance of His mercy,
55 (AJ)Just as He spoke to our fathers,
(AK)To Abraham and his [v]descendants forever.”
56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 1:18 Lit days
- Luke 1:19 Lit stand beside
- Luke 1:22 Possibly gesturing or nodding to them
- Luke 1:24 Or hidden
- Luke 1:27 Unlike engagement, a betrothed couple was considered married, but did not yet live together
- Luke 1:27 Lit house
- Luke 1:27 Gr Mariam, Heb Miriam; so throughout Luke
- Luke 1:28 Or be
- Luke 1:34 Lit do not know a man
- Luke 1:35 Lit the holy one fathered
- Luke 1:36 Lit this is the sixth month for her who
- Luke 1:39 Lit in these days
- Luke 1:43 Lit from where this to me
- Luke 1:45 Or believed, because there will be
- Luke 1:45 Lit from
- Luke 1:46 Lit makes great
- Luke 1:48 Or consider
- Luke 1:50 Lit and
- Luke 1:51 Lit might
- Luke 1:51 Lit thought, attitude
- Luke 1:54 Lit So as to remember
- Luke 1:55 Lit seed
Luke 1:18-56
New International Version
Luke 1:18-56
New International Version
18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?(A) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”(B)
19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.(C) 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(D) 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(E) 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(F) among the people.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel(G) to Nazareth,(H) a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,(I) 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,(J) Mary; you have found favor with God.(K) 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.(L) 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.(M) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,(N) 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom(O) will never end.”(P)
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,(Q) and the power of the Most High(R) will overshadow you. So the holy one(S) to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.(T) 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child(U) 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.”(V)
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,(W) 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.(X) 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,(Y) and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord(Z) 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(AA)
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord(AB)
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(AC)
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.(AD)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,(AE)
49 for the Mighty One has done great things(AF) for me—
holy is his name.(AG)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.(AH)
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;(AI)
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.(AJ)
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.(AK)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things(AL)
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful(AM)
55 to Abraham and his descendants(AN) forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.
Footnotes
- Luke 1:35 Or So the child to be born will be called holy,
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