Gabriel Announces Christ’s Birth

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin abetrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And having come in, the angel said to her, b“Rejoice, highly favored one, cthe Lord is with you; 5blessed are you among women!”

29 But 6when she saw him, dshe was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found efavor with God. 31 fAnd behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and gshall call His name Jesus. 32 He will be great, hand will be called the Son of the Highest; and ithe Lord God will give Him the jthrone of His kfather David. 33 lAnd He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Mary Miraculously Conceives

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I 7do not know a man?”

35 And the angel answered and said to her, m“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called nthe Son of God. 36 Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. 37 For owith God nothing will be impossible.”

38 Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, pto a city of Judah, 40 and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41 And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was qfilled with the Holy Spirit. 42 Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, r“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45 sBlessed is she who 8believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

46 And Mary said:

t“My soul 9magnifies the Lord,

47 And my spirit has urejoiced in vGod my Savior.

48 For wHe has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant;

For behold, henceforth xall generations will call me blessed.

49 For He who is mighty yhas done great things for me,

And zholy is His name.

50 And aHis mercy is on those who fear Him

From generation to generation.

51 bHe has shown strength with His arm;

cHe has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 dHe has put down the mighty from their thrones,

And exalted the lowly.

53 He has efilled the hungry with good things,

And the rich He has sent away empty.

54 He has helped His fservant Israel,

gIn remembrance of His mercy,

55 hAs He spoke to our ifathers,

To Abraham and to his jseed forever.”

56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.

Elizabeth Gives Birth to John

57 Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. 58 When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they krejoiced with her.

59 So it was, lon the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias. 60 His mother answered and said, m“No; he shall be called John.”

61 But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 So they made signs to his father—what he would have him called.

63 And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God. 65 Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea. 66 And all those who heard them nkept them in their hearts, saying, “What kind of child will this be?” And othe hand of the Lord was with him.

Zacharias Prophesies of John’s Ministry

67 Now his father Zacharias pwas filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

68 “Blessed qis the Lord God of Israel,

For rHe has visited and redeemed His people,

69 sAnd has raised up a horn of salvation for us

In the house of His servant David,

70 tAs He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets,

Who have been usince the world began,

71 That we should be saved from our enemies

And from the hand of all who hate us,

72 vTo perform the mercy promised to our fathers

And to remember His holy covenant,

73 wThe oath which He swore to our father Abraham:

74 To grant us that we,

Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,

Might xserve Him without fear,

75 yIn holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

76 “And you, child, will be called the zprophet of the Highest;

For ayou will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,

77 To give bknowledge of salvation to His people

By the remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our God,

With which the 1Dayspring from on high 2has visited us;

79 cTo give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,

To dguide our feet into the way of peace.”

80 So ethe child grew and became strong in spirit, and fwas in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.

Christ is Born

2 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 aThis census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to bthe city of David, which is called Bethlehem, cbecause he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, dhis betrothed 1wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And eshe brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a 2manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Angels Announce Jesus to the Shepherds

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And 3behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, fand they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, g“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy hwhich will be to all people. 11 iFor there is born to you this day in the city of David ja Savior, kwho is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a 4manger.”

13 lAnd suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

14 “Glory mto God in the highest,

And on earth npeace, ogoodwill 5toward men!”

The Shepherds Visit Jesus

15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made 6widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 pBut Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and qpraising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Christ is Circumcised

21 rAnd when eight days were completed 7for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called sJesus, the name given by the angel tbefore He was conceived in the womb.

22 Now when uthe days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 v(as it is written in the law of the Lord, w“Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, x“A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”