It came to pass, while he was officiating as priest before God, in the order of his class, that, according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense, when he went into the temple of the Lord. read more. And all the multitude of the people were praying without, at the time of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. And Zachariah was troubled at the sight, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachariah; for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great before the Lord; and he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient, by the wisdom of the just, in order to make ready for the Lord a prepared people. And Zachariah said to the angel: By what sign shall I know this? for I am old, and my wife is advanced in years. And the angel answered and said to him: I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I am sent to speak to you, and to announce to you this good news. And behold, you shall be dumb and not able to speak, till the day in which these things shall take place, because you did not believe my words, which shall be fulfilled in their proper time.

And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin be trothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary. read more. And the angel came into her presence, and said: Hail, graciously accepted: the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women. And she was perplexed at his words, and reasoned, what this salutation could mean. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you shall conceive and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. But Mary said to the angel: How shall this be, since I know not a man? And the angel answered and said to her: The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; for which reason, also, that which is begotten, being holy, shall be called the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth your kinswoman, even she has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who is called barren; for nothing shall be impossible with God. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her.