Parallel Bible results for "Luke 1:5-56"

Luke 1:5-56

The Message Bible MSG

5 During the rule of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest assigned service in the regiment of Abijah. His name was Zachariah. His wife was descended from the daughters of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth.

6 Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God.

7 But they were childless because Elizabeth could never conceive, and now they were quite old.

8 It so happened that as Zachariah was carrying out his priestly duties before God, working the shift assigned to his regiment,

9 it came his one turn in life to enter the sanctuary of God and burn incense.

10 The congregation was gathered and praying outside the Temple at the hour of the incense offering.

11 Unannounced, an angel of God appeared just to the right of the altar of incense.

12 Zachariah was paralyzed in fear.

13 But the angel reassured him, "Don't fear, Zachariah. Your prayer has been heard. Elizabeth, your wife, will bear a son by you. You are to name him John.

14 You're going to leap like a gazelle for joy, and not only you - many will delight in his birth.

15 He'll achieve great stature with God.

16 He will turn many sons and daughters of Israel back to their God.

17 He will herald God's arrival in the style and strength of Elijah, soften the hearts of parents to children, and kindle devout understanding among hardened skeptics - he'll get the people ready for God."

18 Zachariah said to the angel, "Do you expect me to believe this? I'm an old man and my wife is an old woman."

19 But the angel said, "I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news.

20 But because you won't believe me, you'll be unable to say a word until the day of your son's birth. Every word I've spoken to you will come true on time - God's time."

21 Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary.

22 When he came out and couldn't speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.

23 When the course of his priestly assignment was completed, he went back home.[

24 It wasn't long before his wife, Elizabeth, conceived. She went off by herself for five months, relishing her pregnancy.

25 "So, this is how God acts to remedy my unfortunate condition!" she said.

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth

27 to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin's name, Mary.

28 Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: Good morning! You're beautiful with God's beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.

29 She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that.

30 But the angel assured her, "Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you:

31 You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus.

32 He will be great, be called 'Son of the Highest.' The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David;

33 He will rule Jacob's house forever - no end, ever, to his kingdom."

34 Mary said to the angel, "But how? I've never slept with a man."

35 The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God.

36 "And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months' pregnant!

37 Nothing, you see, is impossible with God."

38 And Mary said, Yes, I see it all now: I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say. Then the angel left her. Blessed Among Women

39 Mary didn't waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country,

40 straight to Zachariah's house, and greeted Elizabeth.

41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit,

42 and sang out exuberantly, You're so blessed among women, and the babe in your womb, also blessed!

43 And why am I so blessed that the mother of my Lord visits me?

44 The moment the sound of your greeting entered my ears, The babe in my womb skipped like a lamb for sheer joy.

45 Blessed woman, who believed what God said, believed every word would come true!

46 And Mary said, I'm bursting with God-news;

47 I'm dancing the song of my Savior God.

48 God took one good look at me, and look what happened - I'm the most fortunate woman on earth! What God has done for me will never be forgotten,

49 the God whose very name is holy, set apart from all others.

50 His mercy flows in wave after wave on those who are in awe before him.

51 He bared his arm and showed his strength, scattered the bluffing braggarts.

52 He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud.

53 The starving poor sat down to a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold.

54 He embraced his chosen child, Israel; he remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high.

55 It's exactly what he promised, beginning with Abraham and right up to now.

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months and then went back to her own home.

New International Version NIV

5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.

6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly.

7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.

8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,

9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.

12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.

13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.

14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,

15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.

16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple.

22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home.

24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.

25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.

30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.

31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,

33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.

36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.

37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea,

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.

42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!

43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord 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!”

46 And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed,

49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.

50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.

51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.

52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.

53 He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful

55 to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”

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