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for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
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He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
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Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
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The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
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Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
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In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
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Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
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for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
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He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
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but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
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They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
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He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”
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Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
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“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
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And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.
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The Birth of Jesus
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
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Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
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When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,
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(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”),
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and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”
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Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.
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a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”
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Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,
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As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.
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The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
