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the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou believest not my words, which will be fulfilled in their season." And the people were waiting for Zachariah, and wondered that he tarried so long in the temple. But when he came out, he could not speak unto them and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs unto them, and remained speechless. And it came to pass, that when the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, "Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me to take away my reproach among men.'

SECT. III.

Announcement to Mary of the approaching Birth of Jesus.

LUKE i. 26-38.

And

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God unto a city of Galilee, the name of which was Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. the angel came in unto her,1 and said, "Hail, highly-favoured one! the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." But she was troubled at the saying, and reasoned within herself what this salutation could be. And the angel said unto her, "Fear not, Mary! for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou wilt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.2 He will be great, and will be called Son of the Most High: and the Lord God

1 Or, entered her abode. 2 The Septuagint appellation corresponding to the Hebrew of Joshua, a Saviour.

will give unto him the throne of David his father: and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said unto the angel, "How shall this be, since I know not a man?" And the angel answered and said unto her, "The holy spirit will come upon thee, and the power of the Most High will overshadow thee:1 therefore also thy holy offspring shall be called Son of God. And, behold, Elizabeth thy kinswoman,—even she hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren: for with God nothing shall be impossible." And Mary said, “Behold! the handmaid of the Lord! be it unto me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her.

SECT. IV.

Mary's Visit to Elizabeth.

LUKE i. 39-56.

Now Mary arose in those days, and went into the hillcountry with haste, to a city of Judah. And she entered into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the holy spirit, and cried out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation came to mine ears, the babe leaped with exultation in my womb. And blessed is she who believed that there will be an accomplishment of the things told her from the Lord."

1 Comp. Acts i. 8, Ps. xci, 1, 4.

And Mary said, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour; because he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; because the Mighty One hath done great things for me; and holy is his name, and his mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation. He showeth strength with his arm; he scattereth the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He putteth down the mighty from their thrones, and exalteth the lowly. He filleth the hungry with good things; and the rich he sendeth away empty. He helpeth Israel his servant, in remembrance of his mercy, (as he spake unto our fathers,) to Abraham and to his offspring for ever."

And Mary abode with her about three months, and then returned to her own house.

SECT. V.

Birth of John the Baptist.

LUKE i. 57-80.

Now Elizabeth's full time was come that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her kindred heard that the Lord had shewed great kindness towards her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eight day they came to circumcize the child; and they were calling him Zachariah, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, "Nay! but he shall be called John." And they said unto her, "There is no one among thy kindred that is called by this name." But they made signs to his father, to know what he would wish him to be called. And he asked for a writing

tablet, and wrote, saying, "John is his name:" and they all wondered. But his mouth was immediately opened, and his tongue loosed; and he spake, praising God. And amazement came on all that dwelt around them: and all these things were spoken of throughout all the hill-country of Judea. And all that heard laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What child will this be!" And the hand of the Lord was with him.

And Zachariah his father was filled with the holy spirit, and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David his servant; (as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times ;) even salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to Abraham our father, to grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him, without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all our days. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: for thou shalt go forth before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; in order to give the knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy 1 of our God; whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, in order to guide our feet into the way of peace."

1

Now the child grew, and became strong in spirit; and he continued in the deserts until the day of his manifestation unto Israel,

1 Lit. Bowels of mercy.

SECT. VI.

Genealogies of Jesus Christ.1

MATT. 1-17.

THE book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.2 Abraham begat Isaac, and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judah and his brethren; and Judah begat Phares and Zara, by Tamar; and Phares begat Hezron; and Hezron begat Aram; and Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naashon; and Naashon begat Salmon; and Salmon begat Boaz, by Rahab; and Boaz begat Obed, by Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; and Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon, by her that had been the wife of Uriah; and Solomon begat Rehoboam; and Rehoboam begat Abijah; and Abijah begat Asa; and Asa begat Jehoshaphat; and Jehoshaphat begat Jehoram; and Jehoram begat Uzziah; and Uzziah begat Jotham; and Jotham begat Ahaz; and Ahaz begat Hezekiah; and Hezekiah begat Manasseh; and Manasseh beget Amon; and Amon begat Josiah; and Josiah begat Jeconiah and his brethren, about the removal to Babylon: and after the removal to Babylon, Jeconiah begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zerubbabel; and Zerubbabel begat Abiud ; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; and Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim ; and Achim begat Eliud; and Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

1 In these Genealogies the names are given as in Archbishop Newcome's Translation. 2 Or, Genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.

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