Book of Common Prayer

2 But as for you, Titus, you must teach what is right.

² Tell the older men that they must not drink too much wine. They must be men whom people respect. They must be wise. They must believe what is true. They must be loving and patient.

³ Tell the older women also that they must live like Christians. They must not tell lies about anyone. They must not drink much wine. They must teach what is good.

⁴ They must teach the young women to love their husbands and their children.

⁵ They must teach young women to have good sense, to live a clean life, to care for their homes, to be kind, and to obey their husbands. Then people cannot say wrong things about God's word.

⁶ Also tell the young men to have good sense.

⁷ Titus, show them what they should do in all matters by the good things you do. Do not mix your teaching with things that are not true. Teach in such a way that people will respect you.

⁸ Be sure that what you say is true, so that no one can say anything against it. Then anyone who is against us will be made ashamed because he can find nothing wrong to say about us.

⁹ Tell servants to obey their master in everything. Tell them to please them and not talk back to them.

¹⁰ They must not steal, but be very honest so the person they work for can trust them. In all things they must show that the teaching about God our Saviour is good.

²⁶ Elizabeth was now in her sixth month. God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee.

²⁷ The angel was sent to a young woman there. Her name was Mary. She was promised to a man named Joseph, to be his wife. He was of David's family line.

²⁸ The angel went into the house and said to her, `Be happy! God has blessed you more than other women. The Lord is with you!'

²⁹ What the angel said troubled Mary. She wondered what this greeting meant.

³⁰ The angel said to her, `Do not be afraid, Mary. God has blessed you.

³¹ You will have a baby son. Name him Jesus.

³² He will be a great man. He will be called the Son of the Highest One [a name for God]. The Lord God will make him king where his father David was king.

³³ He will be king over the people of Israel for ever. He will never stop being king.'

³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, `How can this happen? I have no husband.'

³⁵ The angel answered, `The Holy Spirit will come to you. The power of the Highest One will be over you. That is why the holy child who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

³⁶ `Your cousin Elizabeth is also going to have a baby son, though she is an old woman. This is the sixth month for her. She is one whom people said would not have a baby.

³⁷ But God can do anything.'

³⁸ Mary said, `I am the Lord's servant. Let it be as you have said.' Then the angel left her.