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Luke 1:26-56
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Luke 1:26-56
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,(A) 27 to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.(B) 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”[a](C) 29 But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus.(D) 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David.(E) 33 He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”(F) 34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”[b] 35 The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[c] will be holy; he will be called Son of God.(G) 36 And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”(H) 38 Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit 42 and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.(I) 43 And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me?(J) 44 For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be[d] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.”
Mary’s Song of Praise
46 And Mary[e] said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,(K)
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(L)
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant.
Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed,(M)
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name;(N)
50 indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.(O)
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.(P)
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones
and lifted up the lowly;(Q)
53 he has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away empty.(R)
54 He has come to the aid of his child Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,(S)
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”(T)
56 And Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.
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Luke 1:26-56
New International Version
Luke 1:26-56
New International Version
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.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,(Q) 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.(R) 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,(S) and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord(T) 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(U)
46 And Mary said:
“My soul glorifies the Lord(V)
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(W)
48 for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.(X)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,(Y)
49 for the Mighty One has done great things(Z) for me—
holy is his name.(AA)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.(AB)
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;(AC)
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.(AD)
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.(AE)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things(AF)
but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful(AG)
55 to Abraham and his descendants(AH) 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,
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
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