New Testament in a Year

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering what was taking him so long in the temple. ²² When he did come out, he was unable to speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. He kept making signs to them and remained unable to speak.

²³ When the days of his priestly service were completed, he went back to his home.

²⁴ After those days his wife Elizabeth conceived. She kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me in the days when he looked with favor on me and took away my disgrace among the people.”

The Angel Gabriel Appears to the Virgin Mary

²⁶ In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”^[a]

²⁹ But she was greatly troubled by the statement and was wondering what kind of greeting this could be. ³⁰ The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. ³¹ Listen, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. ³³ He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Listen, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age even though she was called barren, and this is her sixth month. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible for God.”

³⁸ Then Mary said, “See, I am the Lord’s servant. May it happen to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.