Luke 1:5-38
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a
priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly
division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant
of Aaron. 6Both of them were upright in the sight of
God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations
blamelessly. 7But they had no children, because
Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in
years.
8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and
he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by
lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go
into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And
when the time for the burning of incense came, all the
assembled worshipers were praying outside.
11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing
at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When
Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped
with fear. 13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,
Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth
will bear you a son, and you are to give him the
name John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and
many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be
great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or
other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the
Holy Spirit even from birth. b 16Many of the people of
Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17And he
will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of
Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children
and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to
make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
18Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of
this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in
years.”
19The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the
presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you
and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent
and not able to speak until the day this happens,
because you did not believe my words, which will come
true at their proper time.”
21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah
and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.
22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They
realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept
making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23When his time of service was completed, he returned
home. 24After this his wife Elizabeth became
pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.
25“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these
days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace
among the people.” 26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He 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,
33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35The angel answered, “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. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37For nothing is impossible
with God.”
38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.