Inspire: Luke & John - Flipbook - Page 7
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18 Zechar
iah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old
man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”
19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was
he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe
what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my
words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanc
tuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he
couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that
he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.
23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home.
24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion
for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my
disgrace of having no children.”
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Naza
reth, a village in Galil ee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married
to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her
and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.
“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her,
30
“for you have found favor
with God!
37
For the word of God
will never fail.”
38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about
me come true.” And then the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town 40 where
Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizab
eth. 41 At the sound of
Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with
the Holy Spirit.
42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above
all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of
my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb
jumped for joy.
You are blessed
because you believed that
the Lord would do what he said.”
45
The Magnificat: Mary’s Song of Praise
Mary responded,
46
You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him J esus. 32 He will
be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give
him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his
Kingdom will never end!”
34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”
35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the
Most High will overshadow you.
31
holy,
the Son of God.
“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
47
49
and he has done great things for me.
So the baby to be born will be
and he will be called
What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age!
People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in
her sixth month.
36
For the Mighty One is holy,
He shows mercy from generation to generation
to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
and remembered to be merciful.
50
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“Oh,
how my
s ou l
P
R
A
I
S
E
S
the L ord.
”
Luke
1:46
