Ŋiɽaŋal ŋiŋna.
1 Sǝyyiḏ Thaawfiilɔs: Kaka mǝgwɔ lizi luuru ṯǝccici beṯṯen ethi lo ŋiɽaŋali ŋǝthi kwomne ŋgwa kwǝrrinǝ dǝŋgǝr-nǝ. 2 Nǝrsi lo ŋa ŋandica-nyji kila liisasi yǝy-yi naana yeeŋen, ŋa ŋiisarsi kwon-kwon-lɔ tuk, lindǝr-ṯǝ lir yaavɔr yǝthi ŋiɽaŋal ŋisaaw. 3 Nǝ ŋwɔṯaŋw yaɔ Sǝyyiḏ Thaawfiilɔs, kaka nɔrɔɔminy-gwɔ ŋiɽaŋali-lɔ ŋɔ tatap mammak ŋǝmǝ-ŋǝmmǝŋ kinaŋw-lɔ tuk kwon-kwon, ninyaarɔŋw ŋisaawi ethi lɔcca ŋaaŋwɔ ŋiɽaŋali ŋɔ ŋǝmmǝŋ. 4 Ŋǝrrǝ-nyji ŋɔ mindaŋ mǝsi elŋe ŋir rerrem ŋǝthi kwomne tatap ŋimǝr-ŋǝsi ilŋithini.
I@laan wǝthi ŋelŋe ŋǝthi Yuhanna kwǝni Ma@maḏaan.
5 Ki-ŋwaamin-la ŋwa ŋwɔr-ŋi Hiiruuḏus mǝlik kwǝthi Yahuuḏiiyyǝ-ŋw, na kaahin naani kette kinaŋw kǝni Zakkariiyyǝ, kuruuthu ethi Abiiyyǝ-ŋǝ. Nǝ yiriny yǝthi kwaaw kwuuŋwun ǝni Aliisaabaaṯ; kwuruuthu ki-ŋwɔɔla-na ŋwɔthi Haaruun. 6 Nǝr aami naanaŋw ndǝndǝk kiyǝnǝ yǝthi Allah, nǝr iinyici awaamira naana na gwaaniin tatap min-min kǝthi Kweeleny. 7 Laakin nǝreere ǝthi tɔɔrɔ-na teere mac, kaka nɔrɔ-gwɔ Aliisaabaaṯ kwɔɔrɔm, nǝ nǝroro yimǝyǝŋ-nǝ keene-keene.
8 Laamin lette nǝ Zakkariiyyǝ akkɔ ŋothɽor ki Heikal-na kiyǝnǝ yǝthi Allah, kaka nɔrɔ-ŋgwɔ kaahin, nǝ ḏɔɔr rɔɔthanni ṯuuŋwun tok, 9 nǝ kaka nɔrɔ-gwɔ ǝthi wǝṯi kahana rɔɔmi, nǝ gwɔra@ iidi duŋgwun-lǝ ethi anḏi ki Heikal-na wǝthi Kweeleny ethi ruuɽǝsi kwɔthɽɔla ki-ŋwɔthgwun-lǝ. 10 E-ta na lizi naani dɔŋw par laarɔ kiyiiriny ki-lɔɔmɔr-la luruɽǝnnǝli kwɔthɽɔl. 11 Nǝ meleka kwǝthi Kweeleny ruwǝnicǝlɔ, kwirlǝccǝ ŋwɔthgwunǝ-lɔ ki-thii ṯǝthi mɔni, kinaŋw nuruuɽǝsǝ-ŋgwɔ kwɔthɽɔla. 12 Mǝ Zakkariiyyǝ ese tǝ, nɔŋw burcǝŋnǝ-lɔ burccǝk, nɔŋw ṯeenye. 13 Laakin nǝ meleka ǝccǝŋw, “Ǝṯi ṯiinya mac yaa Zakkariiyyǝ! Kaka mǝ-gwɔ Allah neŋne ṯaara ṯɔɔŋwɔ kiyiiriny, nǝ kwaaw kwǝǝŋa kwǝni Aliisaabaaṯ kwɔŋǝ ilŋanyji tɔɔrɔ, mindaŋ ǝnyjici yiriny ǝccǝ Yuhanna. 14 Mindaŋ aamina nǝ a nyeŋlena, nǝ lithaathɔ littǝzir ǝri aamina ŋelŋe-ŋi ŋuuŋun tok! 15 Kaka ninḏi-ŋgwɔ ethoro kwɔr kwɔppa ŋɔɔrɔ, kiyǝnǝ yǝthi Kweeleny. Nǝ laazim ŋweere ii kiɽicaŋi keere mac, wala ethi ii kiɽii ḏuṯ, ŋwuurǝnni Ṯigɽimǝ-nǝ Ṯirllinǝlɔ ter, kaari-na tuk kǝthi lǝnyin. 16 Nǝ ŋwɔɽǝ nyɔɔrɔ nyuuru nyǝthi Israa-iil naana-gwɔ Kweeleny kwir Allah weeŋen. 17 Ŋwɔ iŋnaci Kweelenyi keereny ṯigɽim-thi kwɔfirlli ŋɔma-ŋi ŋir kaka ŋǝthi kwiɽii kwǝni Iliiyyǝ. Ŋwaaɽasi papa-ŋwɔsi nyelle-nyi dɔŋw kwokwony; ŋwɔsi urlelɔ kila luuɽu yǝninǝ ethi aaɽtha ki-thaay-la ṯǝthi lizi lɔvthanna; ŋwɔ kettice Kweelenyi lizi-lɔ luuŋwun cɔgwo-cɔgwop.”
18 Nǝ Zakkariiyyǝ ǝccǝ meleka-ŋw, “Ŋǝnyji elŋe ŋɔ aŋgwɔrɔ? Nyimoro kwɔr kwɔmoro kimǝyǝŋ, nǝ kwaaw kwiinyi oro kimǝyǝŋ tok.” 19 Nǝ meleka ǝŋnici nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Nyii kwir kwǝni Jibraa-iil kwǝṯi rilli kiyǝnǝ yǝthi Allah, wɔsa-nyii ethi andaci ŋaaŋwɔ ŋiɽaŋali ŋisaaw. 20 Laakin neere mithǝ ŋiɽaŋali ŋiinyi mac, ŋinḏi ethoro rerrem mǝ lɔɔmɔr iila kila dap-dap. Nǝ kaka mɔgweere ǝmmini mac tǝ, ere ǝthi ŋɔma ethi andasi mac; a-naani tugwup mindaŋ a laamin iila kila landicaŋa-li linḏi-li ethi ŋiɽaŋal-ŋɔ rattathi rerrem.” 21 Nǝ ki-lɔɔmɔr-la ṯǝ kila nǝ lizi ǝkkici Zakkariiyyǝ-ŋw kizǝn mindaŋ nǝr urǝŋni, nǝraarɔŋw kwotho kwɔmǝ ɽindaŋnalɔ lǝlu-ttuk ki Heikal-na. 22 Ṯaŋw mɔŋw ruuthǝ par tǝ, nɔŋweere ǝthi ŋɔma mac ethisi andaci, mindaŋ nǝr elŋece ethaarvŋw kwɔmǝ iisa rɔ-ɔya ki Heikal-na. Nɔŋw naani ndip kwiti kwǝthi ŋɔma ethi andasi mac, mindaŋ nɔŋwsi andaci rii-ri. 23 Mǝ ḏɔɔr ṯǝthi ŋothɽor ŋuuŋun ernene ki Heikal-na tǝ, nɔŋw aaɽitha dɔɔnɔ kwuuŋwun. 24 Mǝ ŋwaamin ŋwokwo ere, nǝ kwaaw kwuuŋwun kwǝni Aliisaabaaṯ eethe, mindaŋ nɔŋw naani yǝwǝ ṯɔthni kiininy kwiti kwurwǝthǝlɔ mac, 25 nɔŋwaarɔŋw, “Ŋindǝr-ṯǝ ŋɔ mindaŋ Kweeleny kwɔmǝ-nyii iisasalɔ kirem ethi dimmǝthǝ nyuŋwɔ ṯɔŋwnɔtha kithaay ki-lizi-nǝ.”
Kimǝcci kwǝthi ŋelŋe ŋǝthi Yǝcu.
26 Ki-yǝwǝ-lǝ yir nyirlil yiitha-yi Aliisaabaaṯ, nǝ Allah ɔɔsi meleka kwǝni Jibraa-iil etheele ki-mǝḏiinǝ-nǝ kwɔnaana Jǝliil kwǝni Naasira, 27 naana-gwɔ letteṯ limthi kwɔr kwette nda kwǝni Yuusuf, kwǝthi ŋwɔɔla ŋwɔthi Ḏaawḏ-ŋǝ, nǝ yiriny yǝthi letteṯ ǝni Mǝryǝm. 28 Nǝ meleka iila naana-ŋgwɔ nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Ŋa-ŋgwa kwisaawa! Kweeleny kwɔnaana ŋa-gi mindaŋ kwɔmǝ-ŋǝ ɔrtatha tig-tig!” 29 Nǝ Mǝryǝm ippinni ṯɔgwor-na tig-tig ŋiɽaŋal-ŋi ŋǝthi meleka, mindaŋ nɔŋw urǝŋni kwaarɔŋw ŋiɽaŋal ŋuuŋun ŋɔ ŋǝni-thi manɔ ǝyǝ. 30 Nǝ meleka ǝccǝŋw, “Ǝṯi ṯiinya mac Mǝryǝm; kaka niniyǝŋǝ-gwɔ Allah-na. 31 A kweethe mindaŋ elŋe toŋwora, mindaŋ anyjici yiriny ǝccǝ Yǝcu. 32 Mindaŋ ŋwɔ peŋe ŋɔɔrɔ yǝnǝ, mindaŋ ǝri ǝccǝ Tɔr tǝthi Allah wuthǝmthi-lǝ pur-pur. A Kweeleny kwir Allah ruusi ŋundu-ŋwɔ mǝlik, kaka kwugwurnǝyin kwǝni Ḏaawḏ, 33 mindaŋ ŋwɔnannitha dok-dok kwir mǝlik kwǝthi nyɔr nyǝthi Ya@guub, mindaŋ a ŋeeleny ŋuuŋun ere ernene mac!” 34 Nǝ Mǝryǝm ǝccǝ meleka-ŋw, “Ŋinḏi ethi ǝrrini ŋɔ aŋgwɔrɔ ɔrɔny-ma letteṯ linaana min-min?” 35 Nǝ meleka ǝŋnici nɔŋwɔccǝŋw, “Ṯigɽim Ṯirllinǝlɔ ter ṯiŋǝ-gwɔ dappitha-na, mindaŋ a-ŋǝ ŋɔma ŋǝthi Allah kwuɽubǝthǝlɔ. Nǝ sǝbǝb-gi-ṯǝ ŋgwɔ ǝri ǝnyjici lurgwuduŋi lirllinǝlɔ ter yiriny yǝni Tɔr tǝthi Allah. 36 Ṯiŋaayina Aliisaabaaṯ-ŋwɔ kwir ŋa-gi ǝgwur wɔtɔpɔt, kwɔmeethe toŋwora ŋimǝyǝŋ-ŋinǝ, nǝ yǝwǝ yimoro nyirlil yǝthi ŋgwa kwǝṯir-gi aarɔŋw kwir kwɔɔrɔm. 37 Kaka niti ninaani-gwɔ kwomne kweere mac kwǝṯi kettice Allah ŋɔɔrɔ.” 38 Nǝ Mǝryǝm ǝccǝŋw, “Nyii kwir-pa khaḏaam kǝthi Kweeleny, ethirnyii-mǝ tǝ ǝrrinici kaka ŋa ŋandica-nyji.” Ŋwɔṯaŋw nǝ meleka ɔrlacci ŋwɔdoŋw.
Mǝryǝm mɔŋŋweele ethi raaŋitha Aliisaabaaṯ-ŋwɔ.
39 Nǝ ki-ŋwaamin-la ṯǝ ŋwa, nǝ Mǝryǝm diiɽi nɔŋw fiɽigazi kilyǝ etheele ki-mǝḏiinǝ-nǝ kwɔnaana kǝzir wir ŋwundǝr ŋwɔthi Yahuuḏiiyyǝ-ŋw. 40 Nɔŋw ǝnḏi ki-dɔɔnɔ kwǝthi Zakkariiyyǝ mindaŋ nɔŋw aaganni Aliisaabaaṯ-ŋwɔ. 41 Mǝ Aliisaabaaṯ neŋne ṯaaginna ṯǝthi Mǝryǝm-ṯǝ, nǝ tɔr ogwom kaari-na kuuŋun; mindaŋ nǝ Aliisaabaaṯ urǝnni-nǝ Ṯigɽim-thi Ṯirllinalɔ ter. 42 Nɔŋw ɔvɔna ŋǝmmaŋi nɔŋwaarɔŋw, “A kwǝni kwɔrtanna beṯṯen ki-laaw-na tatap, nǝ tɔr tinḏi-ŋǝ ethelŋe ŋwɔni tɔrtanni! 43 Nǝ aatha kworo mindaŋ nǝrricǝr-nyji ŋɔ ŋɔppak, ŋinḏi-ŋi lǝnyin kwǝthi Kweeleny-ŋa kwiinyi ethi raaŋitha nyuŋwɔ? 44 Kaka mǝnyii-ŋwɔ neŋne ṯaaginna ṯɔɔŋwa ṯǝ, nǝ tɔr ogwom kaari-na kiinyi taamina. 45 A kwir-mba kwir kwaaw kwinḏi ethi ɔrtanni kaka nǝmminǝŋǝ-gwɔ ŋiɽaŋali ŋǝthi Kweeleny ŋa ŋinḏi ethi rattathi!”
Mǝryǝm mɔŋgwɔ ɔrtatha Allah.
46 Nǝ Mǝryǝm aarɔŋw,
“Nyii kwɔrtatha Kweelenyi;
47 nyii kwɔnyiŋlana kaka nɔrɔ-ŋwɔ Allah kwiglǝthǝ kwiinyi,
48 kaka mɔŋgwɔ ṯiŋaayini nyuŋwɔ kwir khaḏaam kuuŋun
kirtalɔŋw!
Min kire-kirem-ŋgwɔ mindaŋ mǝ lɔɔmɔr iila ǝnyili lizi
tatap ǝccǝŋw,
a kwǝni kwɔrtanna
49 kaka mǝnyii-gwɔ Allah wǝthi ŋɔma
ǝrrici nyuŋw kwomne kwɔppa-kwɔppa.
Yiriny yuuŋwun yǝni yirllinǝlɔ ter;
50 ŋimɽi ŋuuŋun ŋǝṯi nannitha ki-lizi-nǝ lǝṯiiɽi ŋunduŋw-nǝ
kila linḏi ethiila ki-ŋwɔɔla-ŋwɔɔla.
51 Nɔŋw ruwǝzi ŋɔma-lǝ ŋǝthi lɔɔɽall luuŋwun,
nɔŋwsi fǝthǝlɔ kila lǝṯi piŋi rogɽo ǝfkǝr-yi wǝthi rɔgwor
reeŋen.
52 Nɔŋw dappasi muluuk-gǝlɔ kwǝthi ŋɔma,
ki-lɔrsi-la lǝthi ŋeeleny ŋeeŋen,
nǝ nɔŋwsi dimmǝthǝ-lǝ teṯ kila lirtalɔŋw.
53 Nɔŋwsi bii kila liithisi yaaŋwɔ kwomne-gi kwisaaw-kwisaaw,
nɔŋwsi ṯiŋatha kila lir lɔrṯɔ rii-ri-na domony.
54 Nɔŋw mithǝthǝ wa@ḏa wandicaŋw-yi rǝrnyǝri-ŋwsi,
mindaŋ nɔŋw iila ethi mǝcci khaḏaama kuuŋun kani
Israa-iil.
55 Nɔŋw kithaayini ethi baaŋaci Ibraahiim-ŋwɔ ŋimɽiyǝ
ŋwɔɔlaŋi-na ŋwuuŋwun tatap ethi nanniṯha dok-dok!”
56 Nǝ Mǝryǝm naani Aliisaabaaṯ-gi yǝwǝ ṯoɽol, mindaŋ nɔŋw-mǝ
aaɽitha dɔɔnɔ kwuuŋwun.
Ŋelŋe ŋǝthi Yuhanna kwǝni Ma@maḏaan.
57 Nǝ ṯaŋw nǝ lɔɔmɔr iila lǝthi ŋelŋe ŋǝthi Aliisaabaaṯ, mindaŋ nɔŋw elŋe toŋwora. 58 Nǝ jiiraan kwuuŋwun lizi-li lǝthi ǝgwur wuuŋwun neŋne ethaarɔŋw Kweeleny kwɔmǝ ruwǝcci ŋunduŋw ŋimɽiyǝ-lɔ ŋɔppa ŋimni, nǝr aamina tatap ŋundu-ŋǝli. 59 Mǝ tɔr oro nyaamin dɔvokwɔppa, nǝr-ri iila ethi uɽu lɔthrɔnya, nǝr naŋni ethi ǝnyjici yiriny yǝthi ṯǝrnyin yǝni Zakkariiyyǝ. 60 Laakin nǝsi lǝnyin ǝccǝnw. “Bǝri-mǝ! Ǝrisi ǝnyjici yǝni Yuhanna.” 61 Nǝrǝccǝŋw, “Laakin a kwende kwǝthi kwizi kweere kwǝthi ǝgwur wɔɔŋa kwǝthi yiriny kiyɔ!” 62 E-ta nǝr andaci ṯǝrnyin rii-ri ethisi ilŋithini yiriny yinaŋna-ŋwsi ethisi ǝnyjici tɔɔrɔ. 63 Nǝ Zakkariiyyǝ ɔṯalɔ lɔɔh-li, mindaŋ nɔŋw lo nɔŋwaarɔŋw, “Yiriny yuuŋwun yǝni Yuhanna.” Mindaŋ nǝr liŋri beṯṯen. 64 Nǝ kina-ṯǝ kinaŋw-lɔ tɔc, nǝ ṯuunyu ṯǝthi Zakkariiyyǝ kiṯṯini, nǝ ṯiŋla ṯuuŋwun kǝdinni, mindaŋ nɔŋwɔthi ŋɔma ethi andasi, nɔŋw aari ibṯǝḏi ethi ɔrtatha Allah. 65 Nǝ jiiraan tatap urǝnni-nǝ ŋitheny-ŋi deddep, nǝ khabar kǝthi kwomne-ŋgwɔ tatap faathitha ŋwundǝri naana tatap ŋwɔthi Yahuuḏiiyyǝ-ŋwɔ. 66 Nǝ kila tatap limǝsi neŋne nǝrsi mithǝ ki-rɔgwor-na reeŋen nǝraarɔŋw, “Tɔr kirɔ tinḏi ethi rotto tha?” Kaka a-naana-gwɔ ŋɔma ŋǝthi Kweeleny ŋundu-gi.
Ṯilŋa ṯǝthi Zakkariiyyǝ.
67 Nǝ Zakkariiyyǝ kwir ṯǝrnyin ṯǝthi Yuhanna-ŋǝ urǝnni-nǝ deddep Ṯigɽim-thi Ṯirllinǝlɔ ter, nɔŋw andasi ŋiɽiya-ŋi, nɔŋwaarɔŋw,
68 “Ethi Kweeleny kwir Allah wǝthi Israa-iil ɔrtanni,
kwǝni-mǝ-ṯǝ kwɔmǝ iilatha ki-ṯimǝcǝ ṯǝthi lizi luuŋwun,
mindaŋ nɔŋwsi kǝdu.
69 Nɔŋw usicǝ nyuŋwsi Kwiglǝthǝ kwǝthi ŋɔma,
kwir ŋwɔɔla ŋwɔthi khaḏaam kuuŋun kǝni Ḏaawḏ.
70 Kaka nandisa-ŋgwɔ kwusǝttuk,
ruunyu-ri rǝthi liɽii luuŋwun lirllinǝlɔ ter.
71 Mindaŋ nɔŋw kilǝthi nyuŋwsi ki-ṯuwǝn-nǝ,
nǝ ŋɔma-na ŋǝthi kila lǝṯi-nyji wǝzi.
72 Nɔŋwaarɔŋw, kwinḏi ethi baaŋaci lugwurnǝ lǝri ŋimɽiyǝ,
nǝ ŋwɔ kithaayini wa@ḏa wuuŋwun wirllinǝlɔ ter.
73 Nǝ wa@ḏ wǝ nɔŋworo wǝricǝŋw-yi papa-ŋwɔ kwǝri kwǝni
Ibraahiim haalifa,
74 ethi kilǝthi nyuŋwsi ki-ṯuwǝn-nǝ ṯǝri, mindaŋ ǝri ǝkkici
ŋunduŋw ŋothɽor liira ŋithenya-na,
75 mindaŋ mǝr rillinǝlɔ ter, nǝ lirllalɔ tok kiyǝnǝ yuuŋwun
ŋwaamin tatap ŋwɔṯhi ŋimiitha ŋǝri.
76 Nǝ ŋa kwir tɔr tiinyi, ǝrŋǝ ǝnyjici yiriny yǝni Kwiɽii kwǝthi
Allah wuthǝmthi-lǝ pur-pur.
A iŋnaci Kweelenyi keereny ethi daɽimaci raay-la ruuŋwun
77 Ethi andaci lizi luuŋwun ethisi ǝccǝŋw, ŋaaŋa linḏi ethi
kilaaw ṯifivrinnǝ-thi ṯǝthi ŋikiya ŋaalɔ,
78 ŋimɽi-ŋi ŋithii jiɽeem ŋǝthi Allah wǝri, kwǝnyji irṯaṯhalɔ
fɔɔri-gi kwǝthi ŋimiitṯha,
79 nǝ ethisi irṯacalɔ fɔɔri-gi kila linaana kirim-nǝ, nǝ
ki-ṯigɽim-nǝ ṯǝthi ŋiɽany,
ethi aŋraci kilyǝ kǝri ki-thaay-la ṯǝthi ṯaama naana.”
80 Ṯaŋw nǝ tɔr peŋǝ tir aŋna, nɔŋw duŋgwɔ-ŋgwatha ṯigɽim-thi tok, nɔŋw nanni ki-sahraa-na mindaŋ nǝ laamin iila kila limǝŋw-li ruwǝnnici lizi-lɔ por-por lǝthi Israa-iil.
1 Many people have tried to tell the story of what God has done among us. 2 They wrote what we had been told by the ones who were there in the beginning and saw what happened. 3 So I made a careful study of everything and then decided to write and tell you exactly what took place. Honorable Theophilus, 4 I have done this to let you know the truth about what you have heard.
An Angel Tells about the Birth of John
5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a priest by the name of Zechariah from the priestly group of Abijah. His wife Elizabeth was from the family of Aaron. 6 Both of them were good people and pleased the Lord God by obeying all that he had commanded. 7 But they did not have children. Elizabeth could not have any, and both Zechariah and Elizabeth were already old.
8 One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense, 10 while the people stood outside praying.
11 All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12 Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13 But the angel told him:
Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14 His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. 15 Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.
16 John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. 17 He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. This is how John will get people ready for the Lord.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.”
19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, God's servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news. 20 You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to.”
21 The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying in the temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing.
23 When Zechariah's time of service in the temple was over, he went home. 24 Soon after this, his wife was expecting a baby, and for five months she did not leave the house. She said to herself, 25 “What the Lord has done for me will keep people from looking down on me.”
An Angel Tells about the Birth of Jesus
26 One month later God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee 27 with a message for a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph from the family of King David. 28 The angel greeted Mary and said, “You are truly blessed! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was confused by the angel's words and wondered what they meant. 30 Then the angel told Mary, “Don't be afraid! God is pleased with you, 31 and you will have a son. His name will be Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of God Most High. The Lord God will make him king, as his ancestor David was. 33 He will rule the people of Israel forever, and his kingdom will never end.”
34 Mary asked the angel, “How can this happen? I am not even married!”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come down to you, and God's power will come over you. So your child will be called the holy Son of God. 36 Your relative Elizabeth is also going to have a son, even though she is old. No one thought she could ever have a baby, but in three months she will have a son. 37 Nothing is impossible for God!”
38 Mary said, “I am the Lord's servant! Let it happen as you have said.” And the angel left her.
Mary Visits Elizabeth
39 A short time later Mary hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea. 40 She went into Zechariah's home, where she greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, her baby moved within her.
The Holy Spirit came upon Elizabeth. 42 Then in a loud voice she said to Mary:
God has blessed you more than any other woman! He has also blessed the child you will have. 43 Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, my baby became happy and moved within me. 45 The Lord has blessed you because you believed that he will keep his promise.
Mary's Song of Praise
46 Mary said:
With all my heart
I praise the Lord,
47 and I am glad
because of God my Savior.
48 God cares for me,
his humble servant.
From now on,
all people will say
God has blessed me.
49 God All-Powerful has done
great things for me,
and his name is holy.
50 He always shows mercy
to everyone
who worships him.
51 The Lord has used
his powerful arm
to scatter those
who are proud.
52 God drags strong rulers
from their thrones
and puts humble people
in places of power.
53 God gives the hungry
good things to eat,
and sends the rich away
with nothing.
54 God helps his servant Israel
and is always merciful
to his people.
55 The Lord made this promise
to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his family
forever!
56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months. Then she went back home.
The Birth of John the Baptist
57 When Elizabeth's son was born, 58 her neighbors and relatives heard how kind the Lord had been to her, and they too were glad.
59 Eight days later they did for the child what the Law of Moses commands. They were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But Elizabeth said, “No! His name is John.”
61 The people argued, “No one in your family has ever been named John.” 62 So they motioned to Zechariah to find out what he wanted to name his son.
63 Zechariah asked for a writing tablet. Then he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was amazed. 64 At once, Zechariah started speaking and praising God.
65 All the neighbors were frightened because of what had happened, and everywhere in the hill country people kept talking about these things. 66 Everyone who heard about this wondered what this child would grow up to be. They knew the Lord was with him.
Zechariah Praises the Lord
67 The Holy Spirit came upon Zechariah, and he began to speak:
68 Praise the Lord,
the God of Israel!
He has come
to save his people.
69 Our God has given us
a mighty Savior
from the family
of David his servant.
70 Long ago the Lord promised
by the words
of his holy prophets
71 to save us from our enemies
and from everyone
who hates us.
72 God said he would be kind
to our people and keep
his sacred promise.
73 He told our ancestor Abraham
74 that he would rescue us
from our enemies.
Then we could serve him
without fear,
75 by being holy and good
as long as we live.
76 You, my son, will be called
the prophet of God Most High.
You will go ahead of the Lord
to get everything ready
for him.
77 You will tell his people
that they can be saved
when their sins
are forgiven.
78 God's love and kindness
will shine upon us
like the sun that rises
in the sky.
79 On us who live
in the dark shadow
of death
this light will shine
to guide us
into a life of peace.
80 As John grew up, God's Spirit gave him great power. John lived in the desert until the time he was sent to the people of Israel.