[1:56] Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house. [1:57] Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she brought forth a son. [1:58] Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her, and they rejoiced with her. [1:59] It happened on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father. [1:60] His mother answered, "Not so; but he will be called John."
[1:61] They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name." [1:62] They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
[1:63] He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, "His name is John."
They all marveled. [1:64] His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. [1:65] Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea. [1:66] All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, "What then will this child be?" The hand of the Lord was with him. [1:67] His father, Zacharias, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
[1:68] "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and worked redemption for his people; [1:69] and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David [1:70] (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old), [1:71] salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; [1:72] to show mercy towards our fathers, to remember his holy covenant, [1:73] the oath which he spoke to Abraham, our father, [1:74] to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, should serve him without fear, [1:75] In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. [1:76] And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways, [1:77] to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, [1:78] because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dawn from on high will visit us, [1:79] to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace."
[1:80] The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
[2:1] Now it happened in those days, that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. [2:2] This was the first enrollment made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [2:3] All went to enroll themselves, everyone to his own city. [2:4] Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David; [2:5] to enroll himself with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
[2:6] It happened, while they were there, that the day had come that she should give birth. [2:7] She brought forth her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn. [2:8] There were shepherds in the same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. [2:9] Behold, an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [2:10] The angel said to them, "Don't be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be to all the people. [2:11] For there is born to you, this day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [2:12] This is the sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough." [2:13] Suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
[2:14] "Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men."
[2:15] It happened, when the angels went away from them into the sky, that the shepherds said one to another, "Let's go to Bethlehem, now, and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us." [2:16] They came with haste, and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby was lying in the feeding trough. [2:17] When they saw it, they publicized widely the saying which was spoken to them about this child. [2:18] All who heard it wondered at the things which were spoken to them by the shepherds. [2:19] But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. [2:20] The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.