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.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:35 Or So the child to be born will be called holy,

The Prediction of Jesus’ Birth

26 Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named[a] Nazareth, 27 to a virgin legally promised in marriage to a man named[b] Joseph of the house of David. And the name of the virgin was Mary. 28 And he came to her and[c] said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly perplexed at the statement, and was pondering what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in the womb and will give birth to a son,
    and you will call his name Jesus.
32 This one will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High,
    and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.
33 And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever,[d]
    and of his kingdom there will be no end.

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with a man?” 35 And the angel answered and[e] said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
    and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.
Therefore also the one to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth—she also has conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.”[f]

38 So Mary said, “Behold, the Lord’s female slave! May it happen to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:26 Literally “to which the name”
  2. Luke 1:27 Literally “to whom the name”
  3. Luke 1:28 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“came”) has been translated as a finite verb
  4. Luke 1:33 Literally “for the ages”
  5. Luke 1:35 Here “and” is supplied because the previous participle (“answered”) has been translated as a finite verb
  6. Luke 1:37 Literally “every thing will not be impossible with God”