Add parallel Print Page Options

39 Without delay, Miryam set out and hurried to the town in the hill country of Y’hudah 40 where Z’kharyah lived, entered his house and greeted Elisheva. 41 When Elisheva heard Miryam’s greeting, the baby in her womb stirred. Elisheva was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh 42 and spoke up in a loud voice,

“How blessed are you among women!
And how blessed is the child in your womb!

43 “But who am I, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! 45 Indeed you are blessed, because you have trusted that the promise Adonai has made to you will be fulfilled.”

46 Then Miryam said,

“My soul magnifies Adonai;
47     and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48 who has taken notice of his servant-girl
    in her humble position.[a]
For — imagine it! — from now on, all generations will call me blessed!
49     “The Mighty One has done great things for me!
Indeed, his name is holy; 50 and in every generation
    he has mercy on those who fear him.[b]

51 “He has performed mighty deeds with his arm,
    routed the secretly proud,
52 brought down rulers from their thrones,
    raised up the humble,
53 filled the hungry with good things,
    but sent the rich away empty.

54 “He has taken the part of his servant Isra’el,
    mindful of the mercy
55 which he promised to our fathers,
    to Avraham and his seed forever.”

56 Miryam stayed with Elisheva for about three months and then returned home.

57 The time arrived for Elisheva to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how good Adonai had been to her, and they rejoiced with her.

59 On the eighth day, they came to do the child’s b’rit-milah. They were about to name him Z’kharyah, after his father, 60 when his mother spoke up and said, “No, he is to be called Yochanan.” 61 They said to her, “None of your relatives has that name,” 62 and they made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. 63 He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s surprise he wrote, “His name is Yochanan.” 64 At that moment, his power of speech returned, and his first words were a b’rakhah to God. 65 All their neighbors were awestruck; and throughout the hill country of Y’hudah, people talked about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard of them said to himself, “What is this child going to be?” For clearly the hand of Adonai was with him.

67 His father Z’kharyah was filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and spoke this prophecy:

68 Praised be Adonai, the God of Isra’el,[c]
    because he has visited and made a ransom to liberate his people
69 by raising up for us a mighty Deliverer
    who is a descendant of his servant David.
70 It is just as he has spoken
    through the mouth of the prophets from the very beginning —
71 that we should be delivered from our enemies
    and from the power of all who hate us.

72 “This has happened so that he might show
    the mercy promised to our fathers —
that he would remember his holy covenant,
73     the oath he swore before Avraham avinu
74 to grant us that we, freed from our enemies,
    would serve him without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
    before him all our days.

76 You, child, will be called a prophet of Ha‘Elyon;
    you will go before the Lord to prepare his way[d]
77 by spreading the knowledge among his people
    that deliverance comes by having sins forgiven
78 through our God’s most tender mercy,
    which causes the Sunrise to visit us from Heaven,
79 to shine on those in darkness, living in the shadow of death,[e]
    and to guide our feet into the paths of peace.”

80 The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilderness until the time came for him to appear in public to Isra’el.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:48 1 Samuel 1:11; 2:1
  2. Luke 1:50 Psalms 103:17; 111:9
  3. Luke 1:68 Psalms 41:14(13); 72:18; 106:48
  4. Luke 1:76 Malachi 3:1; Isaiah 40:3
  5. Luke 1:79 Isaiah 9:1(2)

Mary Visits Elizabeth

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,(A) 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.(B) 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women,(C) and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord(D) should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song(E)

46 And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord(F)
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,(G)
48 for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.(H)
From now on all generations will call me blessed,(I)
49     for the Mighty One has done great things(J) for me—
    holy is his name.(K)
50 His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.(L)
51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;(M)
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.(N)
52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.(O)
53 He has filled the hungry with good things(P)
    but has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful(Q)
55 to Abraham and his descendants(R) forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise(S) the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”(T)

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

62 Then they made signs(U) to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”(V) 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak,(W) praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea(X) people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.(Y)

Zechariah’s Song

67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit(Z) and prophesied:(AA)

68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel,(AB)
    because he has come to his people and redeemed them.(AC)
69 He has raised up a horn[a](AD) of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David(AE)
70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),(AF)
71 salvation from our enemies
    and from the hand of all who hate us—
72 to show mercy to our ancestors(AG)
    and to remember his holy covenant,(AH)
73     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:(AI)
74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies,
    and to enable us to serve him(AJ) without fear(AK)
75     in holiness and righteousness(AL) before him all our days.

76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet(AM) of the Most High;(AN)
    for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,(AO)
77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation
    through the forgiveness of their sins,(AP)
78 because of the tender mercy of our God,
    by which the rising sun(AQ) will come to us from heaven
79 to shine on those living in darkness
    and in the shadow of death,(AR)
to guide our feet into the path of peace.”(AS)

80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit[b];(AT) and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Luke 1:69 Horn here symbolizes a strong king.
  2. Luke 1:80 Or in the Spirit