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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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But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
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He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,
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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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to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.
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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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On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
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Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child.
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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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And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
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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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He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
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and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
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This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
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So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
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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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On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
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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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Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required,
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The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.
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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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so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
