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   to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”   
   56 Mary remained with her about three months   
   and returned to her own house.   
      
   The Birth of John the Baptist   
      
   57 Now Elizabeth's time had come to give birth, and she gave birth to a son.   
   58 Her neighbours and cousins heard how the Lord had shown her great mercy,   
   and they rejoiced with her.   
   59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child.   
   And they were calling him Zechariah, after the name of his father.   
   60 But his mother answered, “Not so! He shall be called John.”   
   61 They said to her, "There is no one among your relatives   
   who is called by this name."   
   62 They made signs to his father, asking what he would have him called.   
   63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John."   
   And they all were amazed.   
   64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed,   
   and he spoke and praised God.   
   65 Fear came on all who lived around them. And all these facts   
   were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.   
   66 All those who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying,   
   "What kind of child will he be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.   
      
   The Prophecy of Zechariah   
      
   67 His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit   
   and prophesied, saying,   
   68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,   
   for He has visited and redeemed His people,   
   69 and has raised up a horn of salvation for us   
   in the house of His servant David,   
   70 as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets of long ago,   
   71 that we should be saved from our enemies   
   and from the hand of all who hate us,   
   72 to perform the mercy promised to our fathers   
   and to remember His holy covenant,   
   73 the oath which He swore to our father Abraham,   
   74 to grant us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,   
   might serve Him without fear,   
   75 in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our lives.   
   76 "And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest;   
   for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,   
   77 to give knowledge of salvation to His people   
   by the remission of their sins,   
   78 through the tender mercy of our God,   
   whereby the sunrise from on high has visited us;   
   79 to give light to those who sit in darkness   
   and in the shadow of death,   
   to guide our feet into the way of peace."   
   80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit,   
   and he remained in the wilderness until the day of his appearance to Israel.   
      
   [39] And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with   
   haste, into a city of Juda;   
   [40] And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.   
   [41] 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:   
   [42] And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among   
   women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.   
   [43] And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?   
   [44] For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears,   
   the babe leaped in my womb for joy.   
   [45] And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of   
   those things which were told her from the Lord.   
   [46] And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,   
   [47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.   
   [48] For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold,   
   from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.   
   [49] For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his   
   name.   
   [50] And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.   
   [51] He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in   
   the imagination of their hearts.   
   [52] He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low   
   degree.   
   [53] He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent   
   empty away.   
   [54] He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;   
   [55] As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.   
   [56] And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own   
   house.   
   [57] Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she   
   brought forth a son.   
   [58] And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great   
   mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.   
   [59] And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the   
   child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.   
   [60] 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] And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.   
   [63] And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John.   
   And they marvelled all.   
   [64] And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he   
   spake, and praised God.   
   [65] 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] And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What   
   manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.   
   [67] And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and   
   prophesied, saying,   
   [68] Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his   
   people,   
   [69] And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his   
   servant David;   
   [70] As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since   
   the world began:   
   [71] That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that   
   hate us;   
   [72] To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy   
   covenant;   
   [73] The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,   
   [74] That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of   
   our enemies might serve him without fear,   
   [75] In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.   
   [76] And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou   
   shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;   
   [77] To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of   
   their sins,   
   [78] Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high   
   hath visited us,   
   [79] To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,   
   to guide our feet into the way of peace.   
   [80] And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts   
   till the day of his shewing unto Israel.   
      
   Matthew 1:18-25   
      
   The Birth of Jesus Christ   
      
   Lk 2:1-7   
      
   18 (Ge 3:15) Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way:   
   After His mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, before they came together,   
   she was found with child by the Holy Spirit.   
   19 (Dt 22:21-24; 24:1-4 )Then Joseph her husband, being a just man   
   and not willing to make her a public example, had in mind to divorce   
   her privately.   
   20 (Mt 1:18; 2:13) But while he thought on these things, the angel   
   of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying,   
   "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife,   
   for He who is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.   
   21 (Lk 1:31; Ac 4:12) She will bear a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS,   
   for He will save His people from their sins."   
   22 (Mt 2:15; 2:23) Now all this occurred to fulfill what the Lord   
   had spoken through the prophet, saying,   
   23 (Isa 7:14; 9:6-7; Mt 28:20) "A virgin shall be with child,   
   and will bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,"   
      
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   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)