Luke 1:5-2:20
GOD’S WORD Translation
The Angel Gabriel Appears to Zechariah
5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the division of priests named after Abijah. Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth was a descendant of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth had God’s approval. They followed all the Lord’s commands and regulations perfectly. 7 Yet, they never had any children because Elizabeth couldn’t become pregnant. Both of them were too old to have children.
8 Zechariah was on duty with his division of priests. As he served in God’s presence, 9 he was chosen by priestly custom to go into the Lord’s temple to burn incense. 10 All the people were praying outside while he was burning incense.
11 Then, to the right of the incense altar, an angel of the Lord appeared to him. 12 Zechariah was troubled and overcome with fear.
13 The angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you will name him John. 14 He will be your pride and joy, and many people will be glad that he was born. 15 As far as the Lord is concerned, he will be a great man. He will never drink wine or any other liquor. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring many people in Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord with the spirit and power that Elijah had. He will change parents’ attitudes toward their children. He will change disobedient people so that they will accept the wisdom of those who have God’s approval. In this way he will prepare the people for their Lord.”
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “What proof is there for this? I’m an old man, and my wife is beyond her childbearing years.”
19 The angel answered him, “I’m Gabriel! I stand in God’s presence. God sent me to tell you this good news. 20 But because you didn’t believe what I said, you will be unable to talk until the day this happens. Everything will come true at the right time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah. They were amazed that he was staying in the temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. So they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. He motioned to them but remained unable to talk.
23 When the days of his service were over, he went home. 24 Later, his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and didn’t go out in public for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me now. He has removed my public disgrace.”
The Angel Gabriel Comes to Mary
26 Six months after Elizabeth had become pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee. 27 The angel went to a virgin promised in marriage to a descendant of David named Joseph. The virgin’s name was Mary.
28 When the angel entered her home, he greeted her and said, “You are favored by the Lord! The Lord is with you.”
29 She was startled by what the angel said and tried to figure out what this greeting meant.
30 The angel told her,
“Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor [a] with God.
31 You will become pregnant, give birth to a son,
and name him Jesus.
32 He will be a great man
and will be called the Son of the Most High.
The Lord God will give him
the throne of his ancestor David.
33 Your son will be king of Jacob’s people forever,
and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this be? I’m a virgin.”
35 The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the holy child developing inside you will be called the Son of God.
36 “Elizabeth, your relative, is six months pregnant with a son in her old age. People said she couldn’t have a child. 37 But nothing is impossible for God.”
38 Mary answered, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let everything you’ve said happen to me.”
Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. 40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. 43 I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy. 45 You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”
Mary Praises God
46 Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord’s greatness!
47 My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior,
48 because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant.
“From now on, all people will call me blessed
49 because the Almighty has done great things to me.
His name is holy.
50 For those who fear him,
his mercy lasts throughout every generation.
51 “He displayed his mighty power.
He scattered those who think too highly of themselves.
52 He pulled strong rulers from their thrones.
He honored humble people.
53 He fed hungry people with good food.
He sent rich people away with nothing.
54 “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever.
55 This is the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
John Is Born
57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her, and they shared her joy.
59 When the child was eight days old, they went ⌞to the temple⌟ to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother spoke up, “Absolutely not! His name will be John.”
61 Their friends said to her, “But you don’t have any relatives with that name.”
62 So they motioned to the baby’s father to see what he wanted to name the child. 63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.
64 Suddenly, Zechariah was able to speak, and he began to praise God.
65 All their neighbors were filled with awe. Throughout the mountain region of Judea, people talked about everything that had happened. 66 Everyone who heard about it seriously thought it over and asked, “What does the future hold for this child?” It was clear that the Lord was with him.
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,
68 “Praise the Lord God of Israel!
He has come to take care of his people
and to set them free.
69 He has raised up a mighty Savior for us
in the family of his servant David.
70 He made this promise through his holy prophets long ago.
71 He promised to save us from our enemies
and from the power of all who hate us.
72 He has shown his mercy to our ancestors
and remembered his holy promise,[b]
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.
74 He promised to rescue us from our enemies’ power
so that we could serve him without fear
75 by being holy and honorable as long as we live.
76 “You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way.
77 You will make his people know that they can be saved
through the forgiveness of their sins.
78 A new day will dawn on us from above
because our God is loving and merciful.
79 He will give light to those who live in the dark
and in death’s shadow.
He will guide us into the way of peace.”
80 The child John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the day he appeared to the people of Israel.
Jesus Is Born
2 At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census of the Roman Empire. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All the people went to register in the cities where their ancestors had lived.
4 So Joseph went from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a Judean city called Bethlehem. Joseph, a descendant of King David, went to Bethlehem because David had been born there. 5 Joseph went there to register with Mary. She had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.
6 While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there wasn’t any room for them in the inn.
Angels Announce the Birth of Jesus
8 Shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. They were taking turns watching their flock during the night. 9 An angel from the Lord suddenly appeared to them. The glory of the Lord filled the area with light, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy. 11 Today your Savior, Christ the Lord, was born in David’s city. 12 This is how you will recognize him: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, a large army of angels appeared with the angel. They were praising God by saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those who have his good will!”
15 The angels left them and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.”
16 They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in a manger. 17 When they saw the child, they repeated what they had been told about him. 18 Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was amazed.
19 Mary treasured all these things in her heart and always thought about them.
20 As the shepherds returned to their flock, they glorified and praised God for everything they had seen and heard. Everything happened the way the angel had told them.
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