The Shared Word Translation · Study & Discuss
Luke 1
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and pondered what kind of greeting this might be.
The angel said to her, “Do not fear, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And look—you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have not known a man?” The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the holy child to be born will be called Son of God. And look—Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
In those days Mary rose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town of Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For look—as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who trusted that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”
Mary’s Song
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for the Lord has looked on the lowliness of the Lord’s servant. For look—from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is for generation upon generation for those who fear him. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down the powerful from their thrones and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, just as he spoke to our ancestors, to Abraham and to Abraham’s descendants forever.”
And Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months, and then returned to her home.