5 | Luke – Acts
Luke – Acts | 5
the child you will bear! But why am I so fa vored, that the moth er of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greet ing reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has be lieved that the Lord would ful fill his prom is es to her!”
And Mary said:
“ My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors.”
Mary stayed with Eliz a beth for about three months and then returned home.
When it was time for Eliz a beth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neigh bors and rel a tives heard that the Lord had shown her great mer cy, and they shared her joy.
On the eighth day they came to cir cum cise the child, and they were go ing to name him af ter his fa ther Zech a ri ah, but his moth er spoke up and said,“ No! He is to be called John.”
They said to her,“ There is no one among your rel a tives who has that name.”
Then they made signs to his fa ther, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writ ing tab let, and to every one’ s as ton ish ment he wrote,“ His name is John.” Im me di ately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he be gan to speak, prais ing God. All the neigh bors were filled with awe, and
1:43 – 1:65 1:43 – 1:65