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Luke 1:39-80
GOD’S WORD Translation
Luke 1:39-80
GOD’S WORD Translation
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 Soon afterward, Mary hurried to a city in the mountain region of Judah. 40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.
41 When Elizabeth heard the greeting, she felt the baby kick. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 She said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child that you will have. 43 I feel blessed that the mother of my Lord is visiting me. 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, I felt the baby jump for joy. 45 You are blessed for believing that the Lord would keep his promise to you.”
Mary Praises God
46 Mary said,
“My soul praises the Lord’s greatness!
47 My spirit finds its joy in God, my Savior,
48 because he has looked favorably on me, his humble servant.
“From now on, all people will call me blessed
49 because the Almighty has done great things to me.
His name is holy.
50 For those who fear him,
his mercy lasts throughout every generation.
51 “He displayed his mighty power.
He scattered those who think too highly of themselves.
52 He pulled strong rulers from their thrones.
He honored humble people.
53 He fed hungry people with good food.
He sent rich people away with nothing.
54 “He remembered to help his servant Israel forever.
55 This is the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his descendants.”
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.
John Is Born
57 When the time came for Elizabeth to have her child, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had been very kind to her, and they shared her joy.
59 When the child was eight days old, they went ⌞to the temple⌟ to circumcise him. They were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother spoke up, “Absolutely not! His name will be John.”
61 Their friends said to her, “But you don’t have any relatives with that name.”
62 So they motioned to the baby’s father to see what he wanted to name the child. 63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed.
64 Suddenly, Zechariah was able to speak, and he began to praise God.
65 All their neighbors were filled with awe. Throughout the mountain region of Judea, people talked about everything that had happened. 66 Everyone who heard about it seriously thought it over and asked, “What does the future hold for this child?” It was clear that the Lord was with him.
67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied,
68 “Praise the Lord God of Israel!
He has come to take care of his people
and to set them free.
69 He has raised up a mighty Savior for us
in the family of his servant David.
70 He made this promise through his holy prophets long ago.
71 He promised to save us from our enemies
and from the power of all who hate us.
72 He has shown his mercy to our ancestors
and remembered his holy promise,[a]
73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham.
74 He promised to rescue us from our enemies’ power
so that we could serve him without fear
75 by being holy and honorable as long as we live.
76 “You, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his way.
77 You will make his people know that they can be saved
through the forgiveness of their sins.
78 A new day will dawn on us from above
because our God is loving and merciful.
79 He will give light to those who live in the dark
and in death’s shadow.
He will guide us into the way of peace.”
80 The child John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the day he appeared to the people of Israel.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1:72 Or “covenant.”
Luke 1:39-80
New International Version
Luke 1:39-80
New International Version
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.
GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
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