sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s
name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art full of grace,724
the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was
troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And
the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. Behold, thou
shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name Jesus. He shall
be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto Him
the throne of His father David: and He shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever; and of His
kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I
know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come
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upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.725 And, behold, thy cousin
Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her
who is called726 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. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a
city of Juda; and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to
pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and
Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: and she spake 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 sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed art thou
that didst believe,727 for there shall be a performance of those things which were told thee
from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced
in God my Saviour. For He hath regarded the low estate of His handmaiden: for, behold,
from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For He that is mighty hath done to
me great things, and holy is His name. And His mercy is on them that fear Him, from gen-
eration to generation. He hath made 728 strength with His arm; He hath scattered the proud
in the imagination of their heart. He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and exalted
them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He hath sent
empty away. He hath holpen729 His servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy: as He
724 Gratia plena.
725 [Compare above on § 14.—R.]
726 Vocatur.
727 Beata quæ credidisti.
728 Fecit.
729 Undertaken—suscepit.
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A Statement of the Manner in Which Luke’s Procedure is Proved to Be in Harmony…