38And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
39And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill-country with haste, into a city of Judah; 40and entered into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elisabeth. 41And it came to pass, as Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42And she spoke out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 43And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44For, behold, as the voice of thy salutation came into my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45And happy is she, who believed that there shall be[45] a fulfillment of the things told her from the Lord.
46And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord; 47and my spirit rejoiced in God my Savior. 48Because he looked upon the low estate of his handmaid; for, behold, henceforth all generations will call me happy. 49Because the Mighty One did great things for me; and holy is his name. 50And his mercy is from generation to generation, to those who fear him. 51He wrought might with his arm; he scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52He cast down princes from thrones, and exalted those of low degree. 53The hungry he filled with good, and the rich he sent empty away. 54He helped Israel, his servant; to remember mercy, 55as he spoke to our fathers, for Abraham and for his seed forever.
56And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.
57Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. 58And her neighbors and her kindred heard that the Lord showed great mercy toward her; and they rejoiced with her.
59And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zachariah, after the name of his father. 60And his mother answered and said: Nay; but he shall be called John. 61And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 63And asking for a writing-tablet, he wrote, saying: His name is John. And they all wondered. 64And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue was loosed; and he spoke, blessing God. 65And fear came on all that dwelt around them. And all these things[65] were told abroad in all the hill-country of Judæa. 66And all who heard laid them up in their hearts, saying: What then will this child be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.
67And Zachariah his father was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: 68Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, that he visited and wrought redemption for his people; 69and raised up a horn of salvation for us, in the house of David his servant, 70(as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets of old,) 71salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72to show mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; 73the oath which he swore to Abraham our father, 74to grant to us, that without fear, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, we should serve him, 75in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
76And also thou, O child, shalt be called Prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways, 77in order to give knowledge of salvation to his people in remission of their sins; 78through the tender mercies of our God, whereby the dayspring from on high visited us, 79to give light to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, in order to guide our feet into the way of peace.
80And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
II. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all the world should be registered. 2This registering was the first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each one to his own city. 4And 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 family of David), 5to be registered with Mary his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were completed that she should bring forth. 7And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swathing bands, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.