Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁴⁶ Mary said, `My heart is praising the Lord.

⁴⁷ And my spirit is happy because God has saved me.

⁴⁸ He has remembered his servant even though she is not a great person. From now on all people of all times will say God has blessed me.

⁴⁹ He who has all power has done a big work for me. His name is holy.

⁵⁰ `He is kind to people of all times who respect him.

⁵¹ He has shown how strong he is with his arm. He has taken away people who were proud in their hearts.

⁵² He has moved big rulers from power, and those that were not great he has made great.

⁵³ He has given hungry people good things to eat, and sent away the rich people with nothing.

⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel.

⁵⁵ He has remembered to be kind just as he said to our fathers of long ago. He promised to be kind to Abraham and his children's children for ever.'

²⁵ Praise God! He is able to make you stand firm. That is the good news that I tell. That is what the message about Jesus Christ says. The message was kept secret for a long time in the past. But it has now been made known.

²⁶ The books of the prophets have told this message. The God who lives for ever told the prophets to write this message so that all the people who are not Jews will believe and obey.

²⁷ God is the only one who is wise. Praise him for ever because of Jesus Christ. Yes, it is so!

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.