22. When he came out, he could not speak to them, and so they knew that he had seen a vision in the Temple. Unable to say a word, he made signs to them with his hands.
23. When his period of service in the Temple was over, Zechariah went back home.
24. Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and did not leave the house for five months.
25. “Now at last the Lord has helped me,” she said. “He has taken away my public disgrace!”
26. In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth.
27. He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary.
28. The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!”
29. Mary was deeply troubled by the angel's message, and she wondered what his words meant.
30. The angel said to her, “Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you.
31. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.
32. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was,
33. and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end!”
34. Mary said to the angel, “I am a virgin. How, then, can this be?”
35. The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.
36. Remember your relative Elizabeth. It is said that she cannot have children, but she herself is now six months pregnant, even though she is very old.