3 Some ancient authorities read come nigh before his face. 4 Gr. advanced in her days. 3 1 Gr. sikera. of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor 1strong 2 Or, drink; and he shall be filled with the 2Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit: even from his mother's womb. And many of the 16 and so throughout children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their this book. God. And he shall go before his face in the spirit 17 and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him. And Zacharias said unto 18 the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. And the 19 angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these good tidings. And 20 behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. And the people were waiting 21 for Zacharias, and they marvelled while he tarried in the temple. And when he came out, he could not 22 speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he continued making signs unto them, and remained dumb. And it came to pass, 23 when the days of his ministration were fulfilled, he departed unto his house. 5 Or, at his sanctuary 7 Or, endued with grace 8 Many ancient authorities add blessed art thou among women. See ver. 42. 9 Or, grace And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; 24 and she hid herself five months, saying, Thus hath the 25 Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men. Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent 26 from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a 27 virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art 28 'highly favoured, the Lord is with thee. But she was 29 greatly troubled at the saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. And the 30 angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found 'favour with God. And behold, thou shalt con- 31 ceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be 32 3 4 1 Gr. unto the ages. called the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob 1for ever; 34 and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And Mary said unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know 35 not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: wherefore also 2 that which is to be born shall be 2 Or, the holy 36 called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elisabeth is to be born thing which thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her shall be old age: and this is the sixth month with her that 5 was Son of God. 37 called barren. For no word from God shall be void 3 Or, 38 of power. And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of 4 Some the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. the angel departed from her. 39 And Mary arose in these days and went into 40 hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; called the is begotten And ancient authorities insert of thee. the 5 Or, is and bondmaid. entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Eli 41 sabeth. And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; 42 and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost; and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the 43 fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that 44 the mother of my Lord should come unto me? For 6 Gr. behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into 45 mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that 'believed; for there shall be a fulfil- 7 Or, believed ment of the things which have been spoken to her 46 from the Lord. And Mary said, 47 48 49 My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Sa viour. For he hath looked upon the low estate of his For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great And holy is his name. that there shall be 8 Gr. bondmaiden. 1 Or, by And his mercy is unto generations and generations 50 He hath shewed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud 1in the imagina- He hath put down princes from their thrones, He hath holpen Israel his servant, Toward Abraham and his seed for ever. 51 32 52 53 54 55 And Mary abode with her about three months, and 56 returned unto her house. Now Elisabeth's time was fulfilled that she should 57 be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her 58 neighbours and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass on the eighth day, 59 that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not 60 so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto 61 her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, what 62 he would have him called. And he asked for a 63 writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened 64 immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, blessing God. And fear came on all that dwelt round 65 about them and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa. And all 66 that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy 67 Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, 68 2 And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets To shew mercy towards our fathers, The oath which he sware unto Abraham our To grant unto us that we being delivered out of Should serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him all our Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to To give knowledge of salvation unto his people Because of the 1tender mercy of our God, 2 Whereby the dayspring from on high visit us, 1 Or, heart of 3 shall mercy 2 Or, Wherein To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the 3 Many shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. ancient authorities read hath visited us. inhabited Now it came to pass in those days, there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world 4 Gr. the 2 should be enrolled. This was the first enrolment earth. 3 made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and 5 family of David; to enrol himself with Mary, who was 6 betrothed to him, being great with child. And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were watches fulfilled that she should be delivered. And she 7 brought forth her firstborn son; and she wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds in the same country 8 1 Or, night- abiding in the field, and keeping 1watch by night over their flock. And an angel of the Lord stood by 9 them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them and they were sore afraid. And the angel said 10 unto them, Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all the people for there is born to you this day in the city 11 2 Or, Anoint of David a Saviour, which is 2 Christ the Lord. And 12 ed Lord 3 Many ancient authorities read peace, among men. 4 Gr. men of good pleasure. 5 Or, saying this is the sign unto you; Ye shall find a babe Glory to God in the highest, 5 4 men in whom he 14 And it came to pass, when the angels went away 15 good pleasure from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with 16 haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when they saw it, 17 they made known concerning the saying which was spoken to them about this child. And all that heard 18 it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these 19 6 Or, things sayings, pondering them in her heart. And the 20 shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for 6 all the things that they had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them. And when eight days were fulfilled for circumcising 21 him, his name was called JESUS, which was so called by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of their purification according 22 to the law of Moses were fulfilled, they brought him up to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord (as it is 23 |