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Reading With the People of God #15 Purpose

What Is the Fear of the Lord?

New International Version

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 <div class="p">1Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled#1:1 Or been surely believed among us, 2just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.</div><div class="s1">The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold</div><div class="p"> 5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord&#8217;s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.</div><div class="p"> 8Once when Zechariah&#8217;s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.</div><div class="p"> 11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: &#8220;Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous&#8212;to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 18Zechariah asked the angel, &#8220;How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 19The angel said to him, &#8220;I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.</div><div class="p"> 23When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25&#8220;The Lord has done this for me,&#8221; she said. &#8220;In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.&#8221;</div><div class="s1">The Birth of Jesus Foretold</div><div class="p"> 26In the sixth month of Elizabeth&#8217;s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin&#8217;s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, &#8220;Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, &#8220;Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over Jacob&#8217;s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 34&#8220;How will this be,&#8221; Mary asked the angel, &#8220;since I am a virgin?&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 35The angel answered, &#8220;The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called#1:35 Or So the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37For no word from God will ever fail.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> 38&#8220;I am the Lord&#8217;s servant,&#8221; Mary answered. &#8220;May your word to me be fulfilled.&#8221; Then the angel left her.</div><div class="s1">Mary Visits Elizabeth</div><div class="p"> 39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah&#8217;s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary&#8217;s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: &#8220;Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!&#8221;</div><div class="s1">Mary&#8217;s Song</div><div class="p"> 46And Mary said:</div><div class="q1">&#8220;My soul glorifies the Lord</div><div class="q2"> 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,</div><div class="q1"> 48for he has been mindful</div><div class="q2">of the humble state of his servant.</div><div class="q1">From now on all generations will call me blessed,</div><div class="q2"> 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me&#8212;</div><div class="q2">holy is his name.</div><div class="q1"> 50His mercy extends to those who fear him,</div><div class="q2">from generation to generation.</div><div class="q1"> 51He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;</div><div class="q2">he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.</div><div class="q1"> 52He has brought down rulers from their thrones</div><div class="q2">but has lifted up the humble.</div><div class="q1"> 53He has filled the hungry with good things</div><div class="q2">but has sent the rich away empty.</div><div class="q1"> 54He has helped his servant Israel,</div><div class="q2">remembering to be merciful</div><div class="q1"> 55to Abraham and his descendants forever,</div><div class="q2">just as he promised our ancestors.&#8221;</div><div class="p"> </div>
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Christmas: A New PerspectiveSample

Mary and Elizabeth

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