Bible in Basic English
Even now Elisabeth, who is of your family, is to be a mother, though she is old: and this is the sixth month with her who was without children.
For there is nothing which God is not able to do.
And Mary said: I am the servant of the Lord; may it be to me as you say. And the angel went away.
Then Mary got up and went quickly into the high lands, to a town of Judah;
And went into the house of Zacharias and took Elisabeth in her arms.
And when the voice of Mary came to the ears of Elisabeth, the baby made a sudden move inside her; then Elisabeth was full of the Holy Spirit,
And she said with a loud voice: May blessing be on you among women, and a blessing on the child of your body.
How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
For, truly, when the sound of your voice came to my ears, the baby in my body made a sudden move for joy.
Happy will she be who had faith that the things which the Lord has said to her will be done.
And Mary said: My soul gives glory to God;
My spirit is glad in God my Saviour.
For he has had pity on his servant, though she is poor and lowly placed: and from this hour will all generations give witness to the blessing which has come to me.
For he who is strong has done great things for me; and holy is his name.
His mercy is for all generations in whom is the fear of him.
With his arm he has done acts of power; he has put to flight those who have pride in their hearts.
He has put down kings from their seats, lifting up on high the men of low degree.
Those who had no food he made full of good things; the men of wealth he sent away with nothing in their hands;
His help he has given to Israel, his servant, so that he might keep in mind his mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever,
As he gave his word to our fathers.
And Mary was with her for about three months and then went back to her house.
Now it was time for Elisabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
And it came to the ears of her neighbours and relations that the Lord had been very good to her, and they took part in her joy.
And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;
But his mother made answer and said, No, his name is John.
And they said, Not one of your relations has that name.
And they made signs to his father, to say what name was to be given to him.
And he sent for writing materials and put down: His name is John; and they were all surprised.
And straight away his mouth was open and his tongue was free and he gave praise to God.
And fear came on all those who were living round about them: and there was much talk about all these things in all the hill-country of Judaea.
And all who had word of them kept them in their minds and said, What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and made them free,
Lifting up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
(As he said, by the mouth of his holy prophets, from the earliest times,)
Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us;
To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word,
The oath which he made to Abraham, our father,
That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,
In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.
And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins,
Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us,
To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace.
And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.
— Luke 1:36-1964, Bible in Basic English
“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. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea. 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. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware to our father Abraham, That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life. 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; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. ”
“And behold, Elisabeth thy kinswoman, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that was called barren. For no word from God shall be void of power. And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in these days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah; and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elisabeth. And it came to pass, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit; and she lifted up her voice with a loud cry, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me? For behold, when the voice of thy salutation came into mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed; for there shall be a fulfilment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath looked upon the low estate of his handmaid: For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name. And his mercy is unto generations and generations On them that fear him. He hath showed strength with his arm; He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their heart. He hath put down princes from their thrones, And hath exalted them of low degree. The hungry he hath filled with good things; And the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath given help to Israel his servant, That he might remember mercy (As he spake unto our fathers) Toward Abraham and his seed for ever. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned unto her house. Now Elisabeth’s time was fulfilled that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and her kinsfolk heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy towards her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, blessing God. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judæa. And all that heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, What then shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, Blessedbethe Lord, the God of Israel; For he hath visited and wrought redemption for his people, And hath raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of his servant David (As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from of old), Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; To show mercy towards our fathers, And to remember his holy covenant; The oath which he sware unto Abraham our father, To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. Yea and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people In the remission of their sins, Because of the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us, To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel. ”
He will have rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.
And Mary said to the angel, How may this be, because I have had no knowledge of a man?
And the angel in answer said to her, The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will come to rest on you, and so that which will come to birth will be named holy, Son of God.
Even now Elisabeth, who is of your family, is to be a mother, though she is old: and this is the sixth month with her who was without children.
For there is nothing which God is not able to do.
And Mary said: I am the servant of the Lord; may it be to me as you say. And the angel went away.
Then Mary got up and went quickly into the high lands, to a town of Judah;
And went into the house of Zacharias and took Elisabeth in her arms.
And when the voice of Mary came to the ears of Elisabeth, the baby made a sudden move inside her; then Elisabeth was full of the Holy Spirit,
And she said with a loud voice: May blessing be on you among women, and a blessing on the child of your body.
How is it that the mother of my Lord comes to me?
For, truly, when the sound of your voice came to my ears, the baby in my body made a sudden move for joy.
Happy will she be who had faith that the things which the Lord has said to her will be done.
And Mary said: My soul gives glory to God;
My spirit is glad in God my Saviour.
For he has had pity on his servant, though she is poor and lowly placed: and from this hour will all generations give witness to the blessing which has come to me.
For he who is strong has done great things for me; and holy is his name.
His mercy is for all generations in whom is the fear of him.
With his arm he has done acts of power; he has put to flight those who have pride in their hearts.
He has put down kings from their seats, lifting up on high the men of low degree.
Those who had no food he made full of good things; the men of wealth he sent away with nothing in their hands;
His help he has given to Israel, his servant, so that he might keep in mind his mercy to Abraham and his seed for ever,
As he gave his word to our fathers.
And Mary was with her for about three months and then went back to her house.
Now it was time for Elisabeth to give birth, and she had a son.
And it came to the ears of her neighbours and relations that the Lord had been very good to her, and they took part in her joy.
And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;
But his mother made answer and said, No, his name is John.
And they said, Not one of your relations has that name.
And they made signs to his father, to say what name was to be given to him.
And he sent for writing materials and put down: His name is John; and they were all surprised.
And straight away his mouth was open and his tongue was free and he gave praise to God.
And fear came on all those who were living round about them: and there was much talk about all these things in all the hill-country of Judaea.
And all who had word of them kept them in their minds and said, What will this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him.
And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:
Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and made them free,
Lifting up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David,
(As he said, by the mouth of his holy prophets, from the earliest times,)
Salvation from those who are against us, and from the hands of those who have hate for us;
To do acts of mercy to our fathers and to keep in mind his holy word,
The oath which he made to Abraham, our father,
That we, being made free from the fear of those who are against us, might give him worship,
In righteousness and holy living before him all our days.
And you, child, will be named the prophet of the Most High: you will go before the face of the Lord, to make ready his ways;
To give knowledge of salvation to his people, through the forgiveness of sins,
Because of the loving mercies of our God, by which the dawn from heaven has come to us,
To give light to those in dark places, and in the shade of death, so that our feet may be guided into the way of peace.
And the child became tall, and strong in spirit; and he was living in the waste land till the day when he came before the eyes of Israel.