Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,(A) 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.(B) 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,(C) and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord(D) 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(E)

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord(F)
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(G)
48 for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.(H)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,(I)
49     for the Mighty One has done great things(J) for me—
    holy is his name.(K)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.(L)
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;(M)
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.(N)
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.(O)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things(P)
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful(Q)
55 to Abraham and his descendants(R) forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

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Blessed Among Women

39-45 Mary didn’t waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah’s house, and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly,

You’re so blessed among women,
    and the babe in your womb, also blessed!
And why am I so blessed that
    the mother of my Lord visits me?
The moment the sound of your
    greeting entered my ears,
The babe in my womb
    skipped like a lamb for sheer joy.
Blessed woman, who believed what God said,
    believed every word would come true!

46-55 And Mary said,

I’m bursting with God-news;
    I’m dancing the song of my Savior God.
God took one good look at me, and look what happened—
    I’m the most fortunate woman on earth!
What God has done for me will never be forgotten,
    the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.
His mercy flows in wave after wave
    on those who are in awe before him.
He bared his arm and showed his strength,
    scattered the bluffing braggarts.
He knocked tyrants off their high horses,
    pulled victims out of the mud.
The starving poor sat down to a banquet;
    the callous rich were left out in the cold.
He embraced his chosen child, Israel;
    he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.
It’s exactly what he promised,
    beginning with Abraham and right up to now.

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Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into (A)the hill country, to a town in Judah, 40 and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth (B)was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, (C)“Blessed are you among women, and (D)blessed is (E)the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me that the mother of (F)my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 And (G)blessed is she who believed that there would be[a] a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”

Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat

46 And Mary said,

(H)“My (I)soul (J)magnifies the Lord,
47     (K)and my (L)spirit rejoices in (M)God my Savior,
48 for (N)he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations (O)will call me blessed;
49 for (P)he who is mighty (Q)has done great things for me,
    and (R)holy is his name.
50 And (S)his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
51 (T)He has shown strength with his arm;
    (U)he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 (V)he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    (W)and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled (X)the hungry with good things,
    and the rich (Y)he has sent away empty.
54 He has (Z)helped (AA)his servant Israel,
    (AB)in remembrance of his mercy,
55 (AC)as he spoke to our fathers,
    (AD)to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:45 Or believed, for there will be