Luke 1:26-38

When Elizabeth's baby had grown inside her for nearly six months, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth. Nazareth was a town in Galilee. Gabriel went there to visit a young woman. Her name was Mary. She had never had sex with anyone. She had promised to marry a man called Joseph. He belonged to the family of King David. Gabriel went to Mary and said, ‘Hello Mary. The Lord God loves you very much. He is very near to you.’ Mary had a lot of trouble in her mind about Gabriel's message. She did not understand what he meant. Then Gabriel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary. God has been kind to you. Listen! A baby boy will grow inside you. When he is born, you will call him Jesus. He will be great. People will call him the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him rule as king, as his ancestor King David ruled. He will rule over the descendants of Jacob for all time. His kingdom will continue for ever.’ Mary asked, ‘How can this happen? I have never had sex with anyone.’ Gabriel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come to you. The power of the Most High God will cover you like a shadow. So your child will be special to God. He will be called God's Son. And listen! Your cousin, Elizabeth, is very old. People said that she could not have a baby. But she also will have a son. The baby has grown inside her now for nearly six months. There is nothing that God cannot do.’ Mary answered, ‘I am the servant of the Lord. I have heard what you have said. I want it to happen to me just like that.’ Then the angel left her.