Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
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 pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, from the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. He came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was deeply troubled by his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, because you have found favor with God. And look—you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and his kingdom will have no end.”
Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with 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—your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for the woman who was called unable to have children. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Mary said, “Look, I am the Lord’s servant. Let it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
In those days Mary got up and hurried to the hill country, to a town of Judah. She entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She cried out loudly, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! Why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Look—as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is the one who trusted that what the Lord spoke to her would be fulfilled.”
Mary’s Song
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
because he has looked on the lowly condition of his servant.
Look—from now on all generations will call me blessed,
because the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for generation after 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 rulers down 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,
remembering his mercy,
just as he spoke to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants forever.”
Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then returned home.