New Testament in a Year

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(A) to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After 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^(B) among the people.”

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel^(C) to Nazareth,^(D) a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,^(E) a descendant 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.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,^(F) Mary; you have found favor with God.^{(G) 31} You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.^{(H) 32} He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.^(I) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,^{(J) 33} and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom^(K) will never end.”^(L)

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

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you,^(M) and the power of the Most High^(N) will overshadow you. So the holy one^(O) to be born will be called^[a] the Son of God.^{(P) 36} Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child^(Q) in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”^(R)

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.