^{39 Ref} And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah;

⁴⁰ and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth.

^{41 Ref} And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit;

^{42 Ref} and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed `art' thou among women, and blessed `is' the fruit of thy womb.

^{43 Ref} And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me?

⁴⁴ For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

^{45 Ref} And blessed `is' she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord.

^{46 Ref} And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

^{47 Ref} And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

^{48 Ref} For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

^{49 Ref} For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name.

^{50 Ref} And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear him.

^{51 Ref} He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart.

^{52 Ref} He hath put down princes from `their' thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree.

^{53 Ref} The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away.

^{54 Ref} He hath given help to Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy

^{55 Ref} (As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever.

⁵⁶ And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned unto her house.

^{57 Ref} Now Elisabeth's time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

^{58 Ref} And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her.

^{59 Ref} And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of the father.

^{60 Ref} And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

⁶¹ And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

^{62 Ref} And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called.

^{63 Ref} And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

^{64 Ref} And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue `loosed', and he spake, blessing God.

^{65 Ref} And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

^{66 Ref} And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.

^{67 Ref} And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying,

^{68 Ref} Blessed `be' the Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people,

^{69 Ref} And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David

^{70 Ref} (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old),

^{71 Ref} Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

^{72 Ref} To show mercy towards, our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant;

^{73 Ref} The oath which he spake unto Abraham our father,

^{74 Ref} To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear,

^{75 Ref} In holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

^{76 Ref} Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways;

^{77 Ref} To give knowledge of salvation unto his people In the remission of their sins,

^{78 Ref} Because of the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us,

^{79 Ref} To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace.

^{80 Ref} And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.