An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists Part 3

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the Highest; and the Lord G.o.d shall give unto him the throne of his father David.

33 And(83) he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of G.o.d.

36 And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren: 37 For with G.o.d nothing shall be impossible.

38 And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word.

And the angel departed from her.

-- 4. Mary visits Elisabeth. _Juttah_.

Luke.

CH. I. 39-56.

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 pa.s.s, 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 G.o.d 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(84) 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.

-- 5. The birth of John the Baptist. _Juttah_.

Luke.

CH. I. 57-80.

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 pa.s.s, that on the eighth day they came to circ.u.mcise 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 G.o.d.

65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill-country of Judea.

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 G.o.d of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, 69 And hath raised up a 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,(85) 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 G.o.d; whereby the day-spring 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.

-- 6. An Angel appears to Joseph. _Nazareth._

Matthew.

CH. I. 18-25.

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the holy Ghost.

19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just _man_, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily.(86) 20 But while he thought on these things, Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

22 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, 23 Behold,(87) a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, G.o.d with us.

24 Then Joseph, being raised from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: 25 And knew her not till she had brought forth her first-born son: and he called his name JESUS.

-- 7. The birth of Jesus. _Bethlehem_.

Luke.

CH. II. 1-7.

And it came to pa.s.s in those days, that there went out a decree(88) from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David,) 5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling-clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

-- 8. An Angel appears to the Shepherds. _Near Bethlehem_.

Luke.

CH. II. 8-20.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this _shall be_ a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a mult.i.tude of the heavenly host praising G.o.d, and saying, 14 Glory to G.o.d in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pa.s.s, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pa.s.s, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen _it_, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it, wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered _them_ in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising G.o.d for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.