The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel came to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”

²⁹ When she saw him, she was troubled by his words, and considered in her mind what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ Listen, you will conceive in your womb and bear a Son and shall call His name JESUS. ³² He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest. And the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, ³³ and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever. And of His kingdom there will be no end.”

³⁴ Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

³⁵ The angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you. Therefore the Holy One who will be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Listen, your cousin Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age. And this is the sixth month with her who was declared barren. ³⁷ For with God nothing will be impossible.”

³⁸ Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be unto me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ In those days Mary arose and quickly went into the hill country, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰ and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² She spoke out with a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³ But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ Indeed, as soon as the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a completion to those things which were told her by the Lord.”

The Song of Mary

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

⁵⁶ Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her own house.

The Birth of Jesus^(A)

2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the entire inhabited earth should be taxed. ² This taxation was first made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ And everyone went to his own city to be taxed.

⁴ So Joseph also departed from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to the City of David which is called Bethlehem, in Judea, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be taxed with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So while they were there, the day came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in strips of cloth, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.