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

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 36 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.

67 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."

15 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.

21

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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,

according to the law of Moses, his parents brought him to 23 Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (as it is written in the law of the Lord; "Every male, who first openeth the 24 womb, shall be called holy to the Lord ;") and to offer a sacrifice, according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.

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And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and religious, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the holy spirit was 26 upon him. And it was revealed to him by the holy spirit, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's 27 Anointed. And he came by the spirit into the temple:

and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for 28 him according to the custom of the law, Simeon took him 29 up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “O sovereign Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, accord30 ing to thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which 32 thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to be revealed to the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." And his father and mother wondered at those things which 34 were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them; and said to

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Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel; and for a sign which will be 35 spoken against; (yea a sword will pierce through thine own soul also ;) so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed."

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And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: (she was far advanced in years, and had lived with a husband seven years from her 37 virginity and she was now a widow of about eighty-four

years, who departed not from the temple, but served God with 38 fastings and prayers night and day :) she also came upon them at the same time, and gave thanks to the Lord, and spake of the child to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the

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