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custom of priest's office, his lot was to go into the temple 10 of the Lord and to burn incense. And the whole multitude

of the people were praying without, at the time of in11 cense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, 12 standing on the right hand of the altar of incense. And when Zachariah saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell 13 upon him. But the angel said unto him, "Fear not, Zachariah for thy prayer hath been heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his 14 name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and 15 many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the holy spirit, even 16 from his mother's womb. And many of the sons of Israel 17 he shall turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Christ, in the sight of the Lord God, with the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers together with the children, and the disobedient by the wisdom of the righteous; to make ready for the Lord a prepared 18 people." And Zachariah said unto the angel, “By what

shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is 19 far advanced in years." And the angel answered, and said unto him, "I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I am sent to speak unto thee, and to tell thee 20 these glad tidings. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day in which these things will be performed; because thou hast not believed my words; which will be fulfilled in their season."

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Now the people were in expectation of Zachariah, and 22 wondered that he tarried so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he made And it came

23 signs unto them, and remained speechless.

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to pass that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived; and

25 she concealed herself five months, saying, "The Lord hath thus dealt with me, in the days wherein he hath looked on me, to take away my reproach among men."

26 AND in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent 27 from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin

espoused to a man named Joseph, of the house of David; 28 and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel entered in unto her and said, " Hail, thou that art highly favoured : the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." 29 And she was much troubled, and considered what kind of 30 salutation this could be. And the angel said unto her,

"Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt 32 bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He

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shall be great, and shall be called Son of the Most High : and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his 33 father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." 34 Then said Mary to the angel, "How can this be, since I 35 know not man?" And the angel answered and said unto her, "The holy spirit shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee: therefore that holy child also who shall be born of thee shall be called a son of 56 God. And, behold, thy kinswoman Elisabeth, she also hath

conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month 37 with her that was called barren. For with God nothing is 38 impossible." Then Mary said, "Behold the servant of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her.

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And Mary arose in those days, and went into the moun40 tainous country with haste, to a city of Judea, and entered 41 into the house of Zachariah, and greeted Elisabeth. And

it came to pass that, when Elisabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb and Elisabeth was 42 filled with the holy spirit, and spake out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed art thou among women; and blessed is

43 the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the 44 mother of my Lord should come unto me? for, lo, as soon

as the voice of thy greeting sounded in mine ears, the babe 45 leaped in my womb for joy. And happy is she who believed that there would be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

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Then Mary said, "My soul magnifieth the Lord; and 47 my spirit rejoiceth greatly in God my Saviour. For he 48 hath regarded the humble state of his servant: for, behold, 49 henceforth all generations will pronounce me happy. For

he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy 50 is his name; and his mercy is on those who fear him, to all 51 generations. He showeth strength with his arm: he scat

tereth those who are proud in the imagination of their 52 hearts. He putteth down the mighty from their thrones ; 53 and exalteth those of humble state. He filleth the hungry

with good things; and the rich he sendeth away empty. 54 He helpeth his servant Israel, that (as he promised unto 55 our fathers) he might remember his mercy to Abraham, 56 and to his seed, for ever." And Mary abode with Elisabeth about three months, and returned to her own house.

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Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be de58 livered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her kindred heard that the Lord had shown great mer59 cy toward her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and would have called him Zachariah, after the 60 name of his father. But his mother spake, and said, “Not 61 so; but he shall be called John." And they said unto her,

"There is none among thy kindred that is called by this 62 name." Then they made signs to his father, how he would 63 have him called. And he beckoned for a writing-tablet,

and wrote, saying, "His name is John." And all won64 dered. And forthwith his mouth was opened, and his 65 tongue loosed, and he spake, and blessed God. And fear

came on all who dwelt round about them and all these

things were reported throughout all the mountainous coun66 try of Judea. And all those that heard them, laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be ?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.

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And his father Zachariah was filled with the holy spirit, 68 and prophesied; saying, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he hath regarded, and wrought redemption for 69 his people; and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us, 70 in the house of his servant David; (as he spake by the

mouth of his holy prophets, that have been from ancient 71 times :) even salvation from our enemies, and from the hand 72 of all that hate us; to perform the work of mercy promised to 73 our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; according 74 to the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the 75 hands of our enemies, should serve him without fear, by holiness and righteousness before him, all our days.

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"And thou, child, shalt be called a prophet of the Most High for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to pre77 pare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation to his people, 78 by remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our 79 God, by which the day-spring hath visited us, to shine from on high upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

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And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his public appearance to Israel.

CH. II. Now it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the earth should be 2 enrolled. (This was the first enrolment of Cyrenius, after3 ward governor of Syria.) And all went to be enrolled, 4 every one to his own city. And 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

⚫ from on high hath visited us, to enlighten. N.

5 house and family of David,) to be enrolled with Mary his 6 espoused wife, who was great with child. And it came to pass

that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that 7 she should be delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and swathed him, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

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Now there were in the same country shepherds abiding in 9 the field, and keeping night-watches over their flock. And, behold, an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they feared greatly. 10 And the angel said unto them, "Fear not : for, behold, I .

bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the 11 people for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a 12 saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign

unto you; ye will find a swathed babe lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the 14 heavenly host, praising God, and saying, " Glory to God in the highest heavens, and on earth peace, good-will toward men."

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And it came to pass, when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said one to another," Let us now go to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to 16 pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe 17 lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they declared 18 what had been told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the 19 shepherds. But Mary kept all these things in memory, con20 sidering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things which they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

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And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS; the name given to him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days of their purification were accomplished.

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