and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

When ¹  Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped ²  in her ³  womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴ 

Now the time came ¹  for Elizabeth to have her baby, ²  and she gave birth to a son.

But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, ¹  and they were both very old. ² 

During the reign ¹  of Herod ²  king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to ³  the priestly division of Abijah, ⁴  and he had a wife named Elizabeth, ⁵  who was a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ 

After some time ¹  his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, ²  and for five months she kept herself in seclusion. ³  She said, ⁴ 

“And look, ¹  your relative ²  Elizabeth has also become pregnant with ³  a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month! ⁴ 

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, ¹  the angel Gabriel ²  was sent by ³  God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, ⁴ 

So ¹  Mary stayed with Elizabeth ²  about three months ³  and then returned to her home.

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, ¹  and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you ²  will name him John. ³ 

But ¹  his mother replied, ²  “No! He must be named ³  John.” ⁴ 

They ¹  were both righteous in the sight of God, following ²  all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. ³ 

She ¹  exclaimed with a loud voice, ²  “Blessed are you among women, ³  and blessed is the child ⁴  in your womb!