But only one thing is [really] needful. For Mary has made the better choice, which will not be taken away from her."
But while he was thinking about the matter, [suddenly] an angel from the Lord appeared to him in a dream [i.e., a supernatural revelation given during sleep], saying, "Joseph, you descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary to be your wife, for the baby she is carrying is by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.
Now the birth of Christ happened this way: When His mother Mary was engaged to marry Joseph, [but] before they had a sexual relationship, she was discovered to be pregnant by [the power of] the Holy Spirit.
And consider this, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son and you will name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest [i.e., God], and the Lord will give Him the throne of His forefather King David. And He will rule over the [spiritual] descendants of Jacob forever and there will be no end to His kingdom."
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And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have never had sex with a man?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Highest [i.e., God] will overshadow you. Therefore, the child you carry will be called the holy Son of God.
Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord,
Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth's pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the Galilean town of Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, you are someone greatly favored [i.e., by God]; the Lord is with you."
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But she became very troubled by what he said and wondered what such a greeting could mean.
Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord,
Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord,
Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord,
and my spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior.
And she had a sister named Mary who was also sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said.
Now when Jesus was at Bethany [Note: This was a small village less than two miles east of Jerusalem], in the house of Simon, the man [who probably had been healed] of an infectious skin disease, a woman with an alabaster [i.e., stone] jar of very expensive perfume came to Him and poured it on His head as He reclined at the dinner table. [Note: See Matt. 23:6] But when His disciples saw this they were very upset and said, "What is the reason for such waste?
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For this perfume could have been sold for a large sum of money and given to poor people." But Jesus was aware [of what they were up to], so said, "Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a kind deed to me. You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me. For in the act of pouring this perfume on my body she was preparing it for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this Gospel [message] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done [for me] will [also] be told about, as a memorial of her [kindness to me]."
Then Mary took about a pint of expensive, aromatic perfume; [it was] genuine nard [Note: This was a sweet-smelling herb] and poured [some of] it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. The [whole] house was filled with the fragrant scent of the perfume. But one of Jesus' disciples named Judas Iscariot, who later turned Him over [i.e., to the Jewish authorities], said, "Why was this perfume not sold for a large sum of money [Note: The amount here was equivalent to three hundred days of a farm laborer's pay, or over $20,000 in 1994] and [then] the money given to poor people?"
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Now he did not say this because he cared about poor people, but because he was in charge of the money bag, and being a thief, he used to steal from it. So, Jesus said, "Leave her alone. Let her keep [the rest of] it for [use on] the day of my burial. For you will always have poor people among you, but you will not always have me."
Now when Jesus arose from the dead early on the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday morning], He appeared first to Mary from Magdala, from whom He had driven out seven evil spirits.
[Now] Mary from Magdala and Mary the mother of Joseph [See verse 40] saw where the body was laid.
Now as the Sabbath day ended and the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday] approached [Note: See Mark 16:1-2 for the exact timing], Mary from Magdala and the other Mary [i.e., Jesus' mother. See Matt. 27:56] went to look at the grave site.
and certain women who had been healed from [domination by] evil spirits and diseases. [These women were] Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven evil spirits had been driven out,
Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary, the mother of James and Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee [i.e., Salome. Mark 15:40].
So, Mary from Magdala went and told the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her. [See Matt. 28:7-10].
Then Mary took about a pint of expensive, aromatic perfume; [it was] genuine nard [Note: This was a sweet-smelling herb] and poured [some of] it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. The [whole] house was filled with the fragrant scent of the perfume.
And she had a sister named Mary who was also sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said.
So, when Mary arrived at where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet and said, "Lord, if [only] you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Now a certain man named Lazarus, from Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived. [See 11:18].
So, when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went [out to the edge of town. See verse 30] to meet Him, but Mary [just] sat at home [i.e., probably grief-stricken].
Now the women who told these things to the apostles were Mary from Magdala; Joanna [Note: This was the wife of Chuzas, Herod's property manager. See Luke 8:3], and other women who were with them.
And there were also some women watching all this from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of the younger James and [his brother] Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56].
[Now] Mary from Magdala and Mary the mother of Joseph [See verse 40] saw where the body was laid. Now when the Sabbath day was over [i.e., after sunset on Saturday evening], Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of James [i.e., the "other Mary" of Matt. 28:1, who was probably Jesus' mother. See Matt. 27:56]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56], bought spices [i.e., consisting of aloes and other aromatic perfumes] in order to apply them to His body [i.e., as a means of embalming].
Then Mary took about a pint of expensive, aromatic perfume; [it was] genuine nard [Note: This was a sweet-smelling herb] and poured [some of] it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. The [whole] house was filled with the fragrant scent of the perfume.
This was the Mary who had poured the perfume on the Lord and wiped His feet with her hair [See Matt. 26:6-13], whose brother Lazarus was sick.
And while Jesus was in Bethany [Note: This was a small village fewer than two miles east of Jerusalem], sitting at the dinner table in the house of Simon, the man with an infectious skin disease [Note: This man had probably been healed by now], a woman with an alabaster [i.e., stone] jar of very expensive perfume came to Him, broke the jar and poured the perfume on His head. But some [of the disciples. See Matt. 26:8] were upset among themselves, saying, "What is the reason for wasting this perfume? It might have been sold for a large sum of money and the money given to poor people. [Note: The amount indicated here was equivalent to days of a farm laborer's pay, or over $20,000 in 1994]. And they complained about her [doing this].
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But Jesus said, "Let her alone. Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a kind deed to me. You will always have poor people with you, and you can do something good for them whenever you want to, but you will not always have me with you. She has done what she could. She has applied this aromatic oil to my body in anticipation of my burial. For truly I tell you, wherever the Gospel message will be preached throughout the whole world, what this woman has done [for me] will [also] be told about as a memorial of her [kindness to me]."
a woman with an alabaster [i.e., stone] jar of very expensive perfume came to Him and poured it on His head as He reclined at the dinner table. [Note: See Matt. 23:6] But when His disciples saw this they were very upset and said, "What is the reason for such waste? For this perfume could have been sold for a large sum of money and given to poor people."
read more.
But Jesus was aware [of what they were up to], so said, "Why are you bothering this woman? For she has done a kind deed to me. You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me. For in the act of pouring this perfume on my body she was preparing it for my burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this Gospel [message] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done [for me] will [also] be told about, as a memorial of her [kindness to me]."
Now early [in the morning], while it was still dark on the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday], Mary from Magdala went to the [cave-like] tomb and saw the stone [had been] removed from [the entrance of] the tomb.
Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary, the mother of James and Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee [i.e., Salome. Mark 15:40].
And there were also some women watching all this from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of the younger James and [his brother] Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56].
but Mary [from Magdala] was standing outside of the cave-like tomb crying. While she was [still] crying she stooped down to look in the tomb, and there she saw two angels [dressed] in white [clothing] sitting where Jesus' body had lain, one at His head and one at His feet. They said to Mary, "[My dear] woman, why are you crying?" She answered, "They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put Him."
Now when Jesus arose from the dead early on the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday morning], He appeared first to Mary from Magdala, from whom He had driven out seven evil spirits.
So, they left the grave site quickly, with fear and great joy, and ran to give the message to His disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and gave them greetings. They approached Him and took hold of His feet [and knelt] to worship Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers [i.e., the disciples, that you have seen me], so they can head for Galilee where they will see me."
After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but did not know it was Him. [Then] Jesus said to her, "[My dear] woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Assuming He was the grounds keeper, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away from here, tell me where you laid Him, and I will go and get Him." [Then] Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned toward Him and replied in the Hebrew language, "Rabboni," which means "Teacher."
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Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not ascended to the Father yet [Note: Apparently Jesus was discouraging Mary from embracing Him in worship as was done in Matt. 28:9, and thereby causing a delay of when the rest of the disciples would learn of His resurrection], but go to my brothers and tell them [I said] 'I am [about] to ascend to my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God.'" So, Mary from Magdala went and told the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her. [See Matt. 28:7-10].
Now standing near Jesus' cross were His mother; His mother's sister [i.e., Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:40]; Mary the wife of Clopas [i.e., the mother of James and Joseph. See Matt. 27:55]; and Mary, from Magdala.
Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary, the mother of James and Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee [i.e., Salome. Mark 15:40].
And there were also some women watching all this from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of the younger James and [his brother] Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56].
Then Jesus' mother and [half-] brothers came and stood outside [i.e., of a large house. See Matt. 12:46-13:1]. They sent a message to Him, asking Him to come out to them.
Then Jesus' mother and [half-] brothers came to Him, but they could not get near Him because of the [large] crowd.
While Jesus was still speaking to the large crowds, His mother and [half-] brothers were standing outside [of the large house. See 13:1] wanting to speak to Him. Someone [from the crowd] said to Him, "Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."
Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner, sends you his greetings, along with Barnabas' cousin [John] Mark. [See Acts 12:12]. (You have received instructions to welcome Mark if he comes to you).
After thinking about the matter [for awhile], he decided to go to the house of Mary, mother of John Mark, where a large gathering [of Christians] was praying.
Now as the Sabbath day ended and the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday] approached [Note: See Mark 16:1-2 for the exact timing], Mary from Magdala and the other Mary [i.e., Jesus' mother. See Matt. 27:56] went to look at the grave site.
Mary from Magdala and the other Mary [i.e., probably Jesus' mother. See verse 56], stood near the grave site.
Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth's pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the Galilean town of Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, you are someone greatly favored [i.e., by God]; the Lord is with you."
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But she became very troubled by what he said and wondered what such a greeting could mean. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid Mary, for you have received favor from God. And consider this, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son and you will name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest [i.e., God], and the Lord will give Him the throne of His forefather King David. And He will rule over the [spiritual] descendants of Jacob forever and there will be no end to His kingdom." And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have never had sex with a man?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Highest [i.e., God] will overshadow you. Therefore, the child you carry will be called the holy Son of God. And consider this, your relative Elizabeth is also pregnant with a son in spite of her old age, and [even though] she was said to be unable to have children, she is now six months along. For nothing that God says [will happen] is impossible." And Mary said, "Here I am, the Lord's slave-girl; let it happen to me according to what you say." Then the angel left her.
Jacob had a son named Joseph, who was the husband of Mary. Mary [alone] was the mother of Jesus, who is called the Christ.
[He went] to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him and who was pregnant [at the time]. And it happened while they were there that the due date came for her to have the baby. So, she bore her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in [linen] cloths and laid Him in an animal's feeding trough because there was no room for them in the lodge.
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Now there were [some] shepherds in that region who were living in the fields and guarding their flocks [of sheep] at night. [Suddenly] an angel from the Lord [was seen] standing near them and the glorious presence of the Lord shone around them, and they were very afraid. And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for look, I am bringing good news that will cause great joy to all people. For a Savior has been born today in David's city [i.e., Bethlehem], who is Christ the Lord [i.e., God's specially chosen one]. And this is the sign [that will verify it] to you: You will find a baby wrapped in [linen] cloths lying in an animal's feeding trough." Then suddenly there appeared with the angel a large number of the heavenly "army" [i.e., of angels], who were praising God and saying, "May there be glory to God in the highest [heavens], and may there be peace on earth among men who are pleasing to God." And it happened when the angels left them and returned to heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go to Bethlehem now and see what all happened that the Lord told us about." So, they went quickly and found both Mary and Joseph with the baby, lying in the animal's feeding trough. And when they saw this, they told [everyone] what the angel had said about this baby. And all who heard it marveled at the things the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these things and wondered about them [often].
[Now] Mary from Magdala and Mary the mother of Joseph [See verse 40] saw where the body was laid.
Mary from Magdala and the other Mary [i.e., probably Jesus' mother. See verse 56], stood near the grave site.
Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner, sends you his greetings, along with Barnabas' cousin [John] Mark. [See Acts 12:12]. (You have received instructions to welcome Mark if he comes to you).
After thinking about the matter [for awhile], he decided to go to the house of Mary, mother of John Mark, where a large gathering [of Christians] was praying.
and thus reveal the thoughts of many hearts. Yes, and a sword will cut you [Mary] to the heart [i.e., causing you inward pain]."
Now when Jesus arose from the dead early on the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday morning], He appeared first to Mary from Magdala, from whom He had driven out seven evil spirits.
and certain women who had been healed from [domination by] evil spirits and diseases. [These women were] Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven evil spirits had been driven out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuzas, Herod's property manager, and Susanna and many others. These [all] had provided the material support for the group from their own means.
Now when the Sabbath day was over [i.e., after sunset on Saturday evening], Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of James [i.e., the "other Mary" of Matt. 28:1, who was probably Jesus' mother. See Matt. 27:56]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56], bought spices [i.e., consisting of aloes and other aromatic perfumes] in order to apply them to His body [i.e., as a means of embalming].
Now as the Sabbath day ended and the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday] approached [Note: See Mark 16:1-2 for the exact timing], Mary from Magdala and the other Mary [i.e., Jesus' mother. See Matt. 27:56] went to look at the grave site.
but Mary [from Magdala] was standing outside of the cave-like tomb crying. While she was [still] crying she stooped down to look in the tomb, and there she saw two angels [dressed] in white [clothing] sitting where Jesus' body had lain, one at His head and one at His feet. They said to Mary, "[My dear] woman, why are you crying?" She answered, "They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put Him."
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After she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but did not know it was Him. [Then] Jesus said to her, "[My dear] woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Assuming He was the grounds keeper, she said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him away from here, tell me where you laid Him, and I will go and get Him." [Then] Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned toward Him and replied in the Hebrew language, "Rabboni," which means "Teacher." Jesus said to her, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not ascended to the Father yet [Note: Apparently Jesus was discouraging Mary from embracing Him in worship as was done in Matt. 28:9, and thereby causing a delay of when the rest of the disciples would learn of His resurrection], but go to my brothers and tell them [I said] 'I am [about] to ascend to my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God.'" So, Mary from Magdala went and told the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He had said these things to her. [See Matt. 28:7-10].
And there were also some women watching all this from a distance. Among them were Mary from Magdala; Mary the mother of the younger James and [his brother] Joseph [i.e., probably the wife of Clopas. See John 19:25]; and Salome [i.e., the mother of James and John and wife of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:56]. These women had ministered to Jesus' needs when they followed Him from Galilee. Others watching were many women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.
Now standing near Jesus' cross were His mother; His mother's sister [i.e., Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:40]; Mary the wife of Clopas [i.e., the mother of James and Joseph. See Matt. 27:55]; and Mary, from Magdala. So, when Jesus saw His mother standing beside the disciple He loved [i.e., probably the apostle John], He said to her, "[My dear] woman, look, [here is] your son!" Then He said to the disciple, "Look, [here is] your mother!" And from that time onward, this disciple took Jesus' mother to [live in] his own home.
Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior. For He has looked favorably on the humble circumstances of His servant-girl. And consider this, all generations of people will call me 'blessed' from now on.
read more.
For the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy. He shows mercy to generation after generation of people who have reverence for Him. He has demonstrated power with His arm. He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has dethroned rulers and has exalted humble people. He has filled the hungry with good things and has sent the rich away empty-handed. (As He said to our forefathers), He has helped His servants, the Israelites, [showing] that He remembered to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever."
Greetings to Mary, who worked very hard for you [i.e., she served the church in Rome].
Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village [i.e., Bethany. See John 11:1], and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister named Mary who was also sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said. But Martha was preoccupied with all the preparations [i.e., for entertaining her beloved guest] and came up to Jesus and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Ask her to help me."
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But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about [so] many things. But only one thing is [really] needful. For Mary has made the better choice, which will not be taken away from her."
So, when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went [out to the edge of town. See verse 30] to meet Him, but Mary [just] sat at home [i.e., probably grief-stricken].
And she had a sister named Mary who was also sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said.
But only one thing is [really] needful. For Mary has made the better choice, which will not be taken away from her."
So, when Mary arrived at where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet and said, "Lord, if [only] you had been here, my brother would not have died."
And she had a sister named Mary who was also sitting at the Lord's feet, listening to what He said.
Now standing near Jesus' cross were His mother; His mother's sister [i.e., Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:40]; Mary the wife of Clopas [i.e., the mother of James and Joseph. See Matt. 27:55]; and Mary, from Magdala.
When His parents [finally] saw Him, they were very surprised and His mother asked Him, "Son, why have you treated us this way? Look, your [step-] father and I have been anxiously searching for you." And He replied to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I had to be in my Father's house [i.e., the Temple]?" But they did not understand what He meant when He said that to them.
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So, Jesus went down to Nazareth with them and [continued] to obey them. And His mother kept all these things [stored up] in her heart.
Then on the third day [i.e., since Jesus' conversation with Nathaniel. See 1:47], a wedding took place in Cana in Galilee. [Note: This was a small town near Nazareth]. Jesus' mother was there and Jesus and His disciples had been invited to it also. Now when they had run out of wine, Jesus' mother said to Him, "They do not have any more wine [left]."
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So, Jesus said to her, "[My dear] woman, what do you want me to do [about it]? My time [i.e., to be revealed to people as the Messiah] has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you to do." Now there were six clay water jars there, used by the Jews for ceremonial washings [i.e., for hands, utensils, etc.]. Each one held from Jesus said to them, "Fill the jars with water." So, the servants filled them clear full. Then He said to them, "Now pour [some of it] out and take it to the banquet host." So, they took some to him, and when the banquet host tasted the water, which had [now] been turned into wine, he did not know where it had come from. (But the servants who had poured out the water knew [full well]). So, the banquet host called the groom and said to him, "Everyone sets out the best wine first, and when people have had plenty to drink, he then sets out the poor quality [wine]. But you have kept the best wine until now." [Note: See Barnes Notes and The Gospel of John by Butler for evidence suggesting that this was not intoxicating wine].
About that time Mary made a hurried trip to a Judean town in the hill country. [Note: This was be the same province in which Jerusalem was located]. [Upon arriving] she entered the home of Zacharias and greeted [his wife] Elizabeth. And it happened when Elizabeth heard Mary greet her, the baby in Elizabeth's womb "kicked," and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
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Then she spoke out in a loud voice and said, " [Mary], you are [truly] blessed [from] among [all] women, and the child you will bear [i.e., Jesus] is blessed [as well]. But why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to [visit] me? For listen, when I heard your voice greeting me, the baby in my womb "kicked" for joy. And she who [has] believed [the promises made by the Lord] is [truly] blessed, for the things which have been spoken to her [i.e., to Mary] by the Lord will [indeed] be fulfilled." Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior. For He has looked favorably on the humble circumstances of His servant-girl. And consider this, all generations of people will call me 'blessed' from now on. For the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy. He shows mercy to generation after generation of people who have reverence for Him. He has demonstrated power with His arm. He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has dethroned rulers and has exalted humble people. He has filled the hungry with good things and has sent the rich away empty-handed. (As He said to our forefathers), He has helped His servants, the Israelites, [showing] that He remembered to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever." So, Mary stayed with [her relative] Elizabeth for about three months [i.e., until about the time John was born. See 1:26-31], and then returned to her home.
Now when they had run out of wine, Jesus' mother said to Him, "They do not have any more wine [left]." So, Jesus said to her, "[My dear] woman, what do you want me to do [about it]? My time [i.e., to be revealed to people as the Messiah] has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you to do."
Now standing near Jesus' cross were His mother; His mother's sister [i.e., Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:40]; Mary the wife of Clopas [i.e., the mother of James and Joseph. See Matt. 27:55]; and Mary, from Magdala.
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister [Mary] and [her brother] Lazarus.
Now a certain man named Lazarus, from Bethany, became sick. Bethany was the town where Mary and her sister Martha lived. [See 11:18].
Then Mary took about a pint of expensive, aromatic perfume; [it was] genuine nard [Note: This was a sweet-smelling herb] and poured [some of] it on Jesus' feet and wiped them with her hair. The [whole] house was filled with the fragrant scent of the perfume.
Now when Jesus arose from the dead early on the first day of the week [i.e., Sunday morning], He appeared first to Mary from Magdala, from whom He had driven out seven evil spirits.
Then He said to the disciple, "Look, [here is] your mother!" And from that time onward, this disciple took Jesus' mother to [live in] his own home.
So, Jesus went down to Nazareth with them and [continued] to obey them. And His mother kept all these things [stored up] in her heart.
And Mary said, "Here I am, the Lord's slave-girl; let it happen to me according to what you say." Then the angel left her.
Now standing near Jesus' cross were His mother; His mother's sister [i.e., Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:40]; Mary the wife of Clopas [i.e., the mother of James and Joseph. See Matt. 27:55]; and Mary, from Magdala.
Now the women who told these things to the apostles were Mary from Magdala; Joanna [Note: This was the wife of Chuzas, Herod's property manager. See Luke 8:3], and other women who were with them.
and certain women who had been healed from [domination by] evil spirits and diseases. [These women were] Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven evil spirits had been driven out,
These men continued in united prayer [for the kingdom to come? See 1:6; Matt. 6:10] along with [certain] women, Mary the mother of Jesus and His [half-] brothers.
Greetings to Mary, who worked very hard for you [i.e., she served the church in Rome].
Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord,
Obedience » Instances of » Mary
And Mary said, "Here I am, the Lord's slave-girl; let it happen to me according to what you say." Then the angel left her.
While Jesus was still speaking to the large crowds, His mother and [half-] brothers were standing outside [of the large house. See 13:1] wanting to speak to Him.
Now standing near Jesus' cross were His mother; His mother's sister [i.e., Salome, the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee. See Matt. 27:55; Mark 15:40]; Mary the wife of Clopas [i.e., the mother of James and Joseph. See Matt. 27:55]; and Mary, from Magdala.
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever He tells you to do."
When His parents [finally] saw Him, they were very surprised and His mother asked Him, "Son, why have you treated us this way? Look, your [step-] father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord,
Rising » Instances of » Mary
Now at early dawn on the first day of the week [i.e., early Sunday morning], the women [See Mark 16:1] went to Jesus' grave site, taking the spices which they had prepared [for His burial].
And very early on the first day of the week, after sunrise [i.e., on Sunday morning], they went to the grave site.
The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, you are someone greatly favored [i.e., by God]; the Lord is with you."
Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid Mary, for you have received favor from God.
But only one thing is [really] needful. For Mary has made the better choice, which will not be taken away from her."
Then Mary said, "My soul lifts up the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God, my Savior. For He has looked favorably on the humble circumstances of His servant-girl. And consider this, all generations of people will call me 'blessed' from now on.
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For the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy. He shows mercy to generation after generation of people who have reverence for Him. He has demonstrated power with His arm. He has scattered those who are proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has dethroned rulers and has exalted humble people. He has filled the hungry with good things and has sent the rich away empty-handed. (As He said to our forefathers), He has helped His servants, the Israelites, [showing] that He remembered to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever."
Now in the sixth month [of Elizabeth's pregnancy] the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the Galilean town of Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel came to her and said, "Greetings, you are someone greatly favored [i.e., by God]; the Lord is with you."
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But she became very troubled by what he said and wondered what such a greeting could mean. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid Mary, for you have received favor from God. And consider this, you will become pregnant and give birth to a son and you will name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Highest [i.e., God], and the Lord will give Him the throne of His forefather King David. And He will rule over the [spiritual] descendants of Jacob forever and there will be no end to His kingdom." And Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have never had sex with a man?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Highest [i.e., God] will overshadow you. Therefore, the child you carry will be called the holy Son of God. And consider this, your relative Elizabeth is also pregnant with a son in spite of her old age, and [even though] she was said to be unable to have children, she is now six months along. For nothing that God says [will happen] is impossible." And Mary said, "Here I am, the Lord's slave-girl; let it happen to me according to what you say." Then the angel left her.
Greetings to Mary, who worked very hard for you [i.e., she served the church in Rome].
