48
For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.
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For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name.
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And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation.
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He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
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He has put down the mighty from their thrones, And exalted the lowly.
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He has filled the hungry with good things, And the rich He has sent away empty.
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He has helped His servant Israel, In remembrance of His mercy,
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As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and to his seed forever."
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And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house.
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Now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son.
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When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her.
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So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.
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His mother answered and said, "No; he shall be called John."
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But they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name."
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So they made signs to his father--what he would have him called.
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And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." So they all marveled.
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Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, praising God.
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Then fear came on all who dwelt around them; and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.
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And all those who heard them kept them in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.
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Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:
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"Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited and redeemed His people,