Luke 1:26-38

Announcement of the Birth of Jesus.*

26In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth,
27to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary.l
28And coming to her, he said, “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”m
29But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.
30Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31nBehold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.
32oHe will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,* and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,
33and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”p
34But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?”*
35And the angel said to her in reply, “The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.q
36And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived* a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
37for nothing will be impossible for God.”r
38Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Notes:

* [1:26–38] The announcement to Mary of the birth of Jesus is parallel to the announcement to Zechariah of the birth of John. In both the angel Gabriel appears to the parent who is troubled by the vision (Lk 1:11–12, 26–29) and then told by the angel not to fear (Lk 1:13, 30). After the announcement is made (Lk 1:14–17, 31–33) the parent objects (Lk 1:18, 34) and a sign is given to confirm the announcement (Lk 1:20, 36). The particular focus of the announcement of the birth of Jesus is on his identity as Son of David (Lk 1:32–33) and Son of God (Lk 1:32, 35).
* [1:32] Son of the Most High: cf. Lk 1:76 where John is described as “prophet of the Most High.” “Most High” is a title for God commonly used by Luke (Lk 1:35, 76; 6:35; 8:28; Acts 7:48; 16:17).
* [1:34] Mary’s questioning response is a denial of sexual relations and is used by Luke to lead to the angel’s declaration about the Spirit’s role in the conception of this child (Lk 1:35). According to Luke, the virginal conception of Jesus takes place through the holy Spirit, the power of God, and therefore Jesus has a unique relationship to Yahweh: he is Son of God.
* [1:36–37] The sign given to Mary in confirmation of the angel’s announcement to her is the pregnancy of her aged relative Elizabeth. If a woman past the childbearing age could become pregnant, why, the angel implies, should there be doubt about Mary’s pregnancy, for nothing will be impossible for God.

Concordance Scriptures:

l. [1:27] 2:5; Mt 1:16, 18.
m. [1:28] Jgs 6:12; Ru 2:4; Jdt 13:18.
n. [1:31] Gn 16:11; Jgs 13:3; Is 7:14; Mt 1:21–23.
o. [1:32–33] 2 Sm 7:12, 13, 16; Is 9:7.
p. [1:33] Dn 2:44; 7:14; Mi 4:7; Mt 28:18.
q. [1:35] Mt 1:20.
r. [1:37] Gn 18:14; Jer 32:27; Mt 19:26.