And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. (1:21) com1 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. (1:22) And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. (1:23) And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, (1:24) Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on [me], to take away my reproach among men. (1:25) And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, (1:26) To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name [was] Mary (1:27) And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, [thou that art] highly favoured, the Lord [is] with thee: blessed [art] thou among women (1:28) And when she saw [him], she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be (1:29) And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. (1:30) com6 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. (1:31) com7 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: (1:32) com8 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. (1:33) com9 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? (1:34) com10 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. (1:35) com11 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren (1:36) For with God nothing shall be impossible (1:37) And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. (1:38) com12 And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; (1:39) And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth (1:40) And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: (1:41) And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb (1:42) And whence [is] this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (1:43) For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy (1:44) And blessed [is] she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord (1:45) And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, (1:46) And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour (1:47) For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed (1:48) For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy [is] his name (1:49) And his mercy [is] on them that fear him from generation to generation (1:50) He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts (1:51) He hath put down the mighty from [their] seats, and exalted them of low degree (1:52) He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away (1:53) He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of [his] mercy; (1:54) As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever (1:55) And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house (1:56) Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son (1:57) And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her (1:58) And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father (1:59) And his mother answered and said, Not [so]; but he shall be called John (1:60) And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name (1:61) And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called (1:62) And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all (1:63) And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue [loosed], and he spake, and praised God (1:64) And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea (1:65) And all they that heard [them] laid [them] up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him (1:66) And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, (1:67) Blessed [be] the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, (1:68) And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; (1:69) As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: (1:70) That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; (1:71) To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; (1:72) The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, (1:73) That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, (1:74) In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life (1:75) And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; (1:76) To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, (1:77) Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, (1:78) To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace (1:79) And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel
(1:80)
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