Christmas Plan

³⁹In those days Mary set out and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah

⁴⁰where she entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth.

⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

⁴²Then she exclaimed with a loud cry: “Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed!

⁴³How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

⁴⁴For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me.

⁴⁵Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill what he has spoken to her!”

⁴⁶And Mary said: My soul praises the greatness of the Lord,

⁴⁷and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

⁴⁸because he has looked with favor on the humble condition of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed,

⁴⁹because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.

⁵⁰His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.

⁵¹He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has scattered the proud because of the thoughts of their hearts;

⁵²he has toppled the mighty from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

⁵³He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israel, remembering his mercy

⁵⁵to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he spoke to our ancestors.

⁵⁶And Mary stayed with her about three months; then she returned to her home.

¹Hannah prayed: My heart rejoices in the LORD; my horn is lifted up by the LORD. My mouth boasts over my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.

²There is no one holy like the LORD. There is no one besides you! And there is no rock like our God.

³Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogant words come out of your mouth, for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and actions are weighed by him.

⁴The bows of the warriors are broken, but the feeble are clothed with strength.

⁵Those who are full hire themselves out for food, but those who are starving hunger no more. The woman who is childless gives birth to seven, but the woman with many sons pines away.

⁶The LORD brings death and gives life; he sends some down to Sheol, and he raises others up.

⁷The LORD brings poverty and gives wealth; he humbles and he exalts.

⁸He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the trash heap. He seats them with noblemen and gives them a throne of honor. For the foundations of the earth are the LORD’s; he has set the world on them.

⁹He guards the steps of his faithful ones, but the wicked perish in darkness, for a person does not prevail by his own strength.

¹⁰Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered; he will thunder in the heavens against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth. He will give power to his king; he will lift up the horn of his anointed.