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Introduction
Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
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With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
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The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
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Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.
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he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
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And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.
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Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
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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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And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
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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 said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
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Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
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When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
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After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
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“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
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The Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,
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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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“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
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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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“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
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Mary Visits Elizabeth
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,
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When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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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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But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
