THE BIRTH OF CHRIST ANNOUNCED

Passage: Luke 1:26-38

Key verse: 37

NIV

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel(A) to Nazareth,(B) a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph,(C) a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid,(D) Mary; you have found favor with God.(E) 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.(F) 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.(G) The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,(H) 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom(I) will never end.”(J)

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you,(K) and the power of the Most High(L) will overshadow you. So the holy one(M) to be born will be called[a] the Son of God.(N) 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child(O) in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”(P)

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 1:35 Or So the child to be born will be called holy,
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month the angel (A)Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named (B)Nazareth, 27 (C)to a virgin betrothed[a] to a man whose name was Joseph, (D)of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, (E)O favored one, (F)the Lord is with you!”[b] 29 But (G)she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for (H)you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, (I)you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and (J)you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of (K)the Most High. And the Lord God (L)will give to him the throne of (M)his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob (N)forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”[c]

35 And the angel answered her, (O)“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of (P)the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born[d] will be called (Q)holy—(R)the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her (S)who was called barren. 37 For (T)nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant[e] of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And (U)the angel departed from her.

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 1:27 That is, legally pledged to be married
  2. Luke 1:28 Some manuscripts add Blessed are you among women!
  3. Luke 1:34 Greek since I do not know a man
  4. Luke 1:35 Some manuscripts add of you
  5. Luke 1:38 Greek bondservant; also verse 48
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. You who are highly favored (26-3 ) In Elizabeth's sixth month of pregnancy, God sent angel Gabriel to a virgin in Nazareth named Mary. She was pledged to marry Joseph, a descendant of David. Gabriel said, "Greetings, highly favored one! The Lord is with you." It was God's favor and blessing. But Mary was troubled. God's favor and grace is the greatest blessing anyone can receive. 2. His kingdom will never end (31-33) Mary was chosen to birth Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of the Most High God. He would be King over God's people. His kingdom would never end. 3. No word from God will ever fail (34-38) Mary, a virgin, wondered "how" it would be. It would happen by the Holy Spirit, the presence and power of God. The angel mentioned Elizabeth's miraculous pregnancy. Mary yielded her will and dream to God's plan, as the Lord's servant. God's word will be fulfilled. His word will never fail.

Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for your favor in Christ. May we live in your good will and your unfailing word by your grace and Spirit.

One Word: What God wants and says will never fail