Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.^(A)

⁴ But when the set time had fully come,^(A) God sent his Son,^(B) born of a woman,^(C) born under the law,^{(D) 5} to redeem^(E) those under the law, that we might receive adoption^(F) to sonship.^[a](G)

²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,^(A) 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,^(B) Mary; you have found favor with God.^{(C) 31} You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.^{(D) 32} He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.^(E) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,^{(F) 33} and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom^(G) will never end.”^(H)

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,^(I) and the power of the Most High^(J) will overshadow you. So the holy one^(K) to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God.^{(L) 36} Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child^(M) 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.”^(N)

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

⁵ Therefore, when Christ came into the world,^(A) he said:

²⁶ Such a high priest^(A) truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners,^(B) exalted above the heavens.^(C)

²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(A) among the people.”