The Angel Visits Mary
No word from God will ever fail
Two things you can tap
- A verse number shows the Bible’s exact words.
- An underlined word shows what it means.
Story
What happened?
Tap a verse number, like , to read the Bible’s exact words.
Who’s who and what came beforePeople, places, and the story so far. Open it anytime.
Scene Card
Cast
- Mary: A young woman from the town of Nazareth. She is pledged to marry Joseph. The Bible does not give her age.
- Gabriel: An angel, a messenger from God.
- Joseph: Mary's husband-to-be. He is from the family of King David.
- Elizabeth: Mary's relative. She is older. For many years she was not able to have children.
- Zechariah: Elizabeth's husband. He is a priest.
Setting
- First Nazareth, a town on a hillside in Galilee, in the north. Then a town in the hill country of Judah, in the south, where Elizabeth lives.
When
- About 2,000 years ago, a few months before Jesus was born.
Before the Story
God made a promise to King David. Long ago, God promised that a king from David's family would rule forever (2 Samuel 7:16).
Gabriel had already made one surprise visit. About six months earlier, he told the priest Zechariah that his wife Elizabeth would have a son (Luke 1:13, 1:19).
Elizabeth was old and had no children. Now she was pregnant. She stayed at home for five months (Luke 1:24).
Here's what you know that almost nobody in this story knows: The son Gabriel will promise is Jesus. God starts this news in a little-known town, with a young woman.
Map of the Story
| Scene | Verses | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 1. A visitor in Nazareth | 1:26-27 | God sends Gabriel to Mary |
| 2. "Greetings" | 1:28-29 | Gabriel greets Mary. Mary is troubled |
| 3. The promise | 1:30-33 | Gabriel says Mary will have a son, a king |
| 4. "How can this be?" | 1:34-35 | Mary asks a question. Gabriel tells of the Holy Spirit |
| 5. "The Lord's servant" | 1:36-38 | Gabriel tells about Elizabeth. Mary answers |
| 6. The baby leaps | 1:39-41 | Mary visits Elizabeth. Elizabeth's baby leaps |
| 7. Elizabeth's blessing | 1:42-45 | Elizabeth blesses Mary and her baby |
| 8. Mary's song | 1:46-50 | Mary praises God for looking at her |
| 9. The humble lifted up | 1:51-55 | Mary sings about what God does for the low |
| 10. Three months | 1:56 | Mary stays with Elizabeth, then goes home |
Plain Retelling
Scene 1 of 10A Visitor in Nazareth
Nazareth was a town on a hillside in Galilee. It was not a famous place. God sent the angel Gabriel there.
It was the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy.
Gabriel came to a young woman named Mary. She was a virgin. That means she had never had sex.
Mary was pledged to marry a man named Joseph. Being pledged was more than being engaged today. It was a serious promise, and the wedding came later. Joseph was from the family of King David.
Scene 2 of 10"Greetings"
Gabriel appeared to Mary. He said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you" (1:28).
Favored means God has chosen to be kind to her. It is a gift. Mary had not earned it.
Mary was greatly troubled by his words. She wondered what kind of greeting this was.
An angel had come into her ordinary day. He spoke to her as someone special. Mary did not know why.
Scene 3 of 10The Promise
Gabriel said, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (1:30).
Then Gabriel told her the news. She would become pregnant and have a son. She was to name him Jesus.
"He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High" (1:32). The Most High is a name for God. It means God is above everything.
Gabriel said God would give Jesus the throne of his father David. A throne is a king's seat. So this meant Jesus would be king. He would rule over the house of Jacob, the people of Israel, forever. "His kingdom will never end!" (1:33).
Long ago, God had promised David a king who would rule forever. Gabriel's words meant that promise would come true, through Mary's son.
Scene 4 of 10"How Can This Be?"
Mary had a plain question. "How can this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" (1:34).
She had never been with a man. She did not see how she could have a baby.
Gabriel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you" (1:35).
To overshadow is to cover, the way a shadow falls over something. This is a comparison. God's own power would make this happen. No man would be the father.
Gabriel said the child would be holy. He would be called the Son of God.
The Bible does not explain how. It says God would do it.
Scene 5 of 10"The Lord's Servant"
Gabriel told Mary about her relative Elizabeth. Elizabeth was old. People had called her barren, meaning she could not have children. But Elizabeth was now six months pregnant with a son.
Then Gabriel said, "For no word from God will ever fail" (1:37).
Mary answered, "I am the Lord's servant" (1:38). "May it happen to me according to your word" (1:38).
A servant belongs to a master and does what the master asks. Mary gave herself to God's plan.
Then the angel left her.
Halfway thereThis is a good place for a break. Your spot is saved on this device.
Scene 6 of 10The Baby Leaps
In those same days, Mary got ready. She hurried to a town in the hill country of Judah. That was a long trip south.
Mary went into the home of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth heard Mary's voice, the baby inside Elizabeth leaped.
Then Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Scene 7 of 10Elizabeth's Blessing
Elizabeth called out in a loud voice. "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!" (1:42).
Blessed means God's favor rests on someone. "The fruit of your womb" is a comparison. It means the baby Mary was carrying.
Elizabeth was amazed. She asked why she should be so honored. "The mother of my Lord" had come to her (1:43).
Luke does not say that Mary had told Elizabeth the news. One likely reason Elizabeth knew: the Holy Spirit showed her who this baby was.
Elizabeth said her baby had leaped for joy at the sound of Mary's greeting.
Then Elizabeth said, "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord's word to her will be fulfilled" (1:45).
Scene 8 of 10Mary's Song
Then Mary spoke. Her words are a song of praise. Many churches call it the Magnificat. That is the first word of the song in Latin.
"My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!" (1:46-47). To magnify is to make something look bigger. Mary was telling how great God is. Soul and spirit here mean Mary's whole self.
Mary said why she was glad. "He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant" (1:48).
Humble state means a low place. Mary was not rich or important. God looked at her anyway.
She said people in every time to come would call her blessed. She did not say it was because of her. "The Mighty One has done great things for me. Holy is His name" (1:49).
Mary said God's mercy goes on and on. It reaches every generation of people who honor him.
Scene 9 of 10The Humble Lifted Up
Then Mary sang about what God does in the world. She spoke as if it had already happened. One likely reason: she was sure God would do it.
Mary sang that God has done mighty deeds with his arm. This is a comparison. The arm stands for God's power. She sang that God has scattered the proud. "He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has exalted the humble" (1:52). Exalted means lifted up high.
"He has filled the hungry with good things, but has sent the rich away empty" (1:53).
Mary's song describes a world turned upside down. This is a comparison. It means the powerful come down, and people who have nothing get good things.
Last, Mary sang about her own people, Israel. God had helped Israel and remembered to be merciful. He had promised this to Abraham and his family forever.
Mary was Jewish. Her song is full of Israel's hope. It sounds a lot like the song of Hannah, a woman who praised God long before (1 Samuel 2:1-10).
Scene 10 of 10Three Months
Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months.
Then Mary went back home to Nazareth.
She went home still pledged to Joseph. She was carrying the child God had promised. Gabriel had told her that no word from God will ever fail. Now that word was already coming true.
Meaning
What does it mean?
Read It
What Does This Mean?
| The text says | It means |
|---|---|
| "You who are highly favored" (1:28) | God chose to show Mary grace. Favor is a gift. She did not earn it. |
| "Do not be afraid" (1:30) | Mary's fear was real. God answered it with kindness, not a scolding. |
| "The throne of His father David" (1:32) | Jesus is the king God promised to David's family (2 Samuel 7:16). |
| "The Holy Spirit will come upon you" (1:35) | The baby will come from God's power, not from a human father. |
| "No word from God will ever fail" (1:37) | What God says, God does. |
| "I am the Lord's servant" (1:38) | Mary trusted God and gave herself to his plan. |
| "Blessed is she who has believed" (1:45) | Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, praises Mary's faith. Faith itself is a gift from God. |
| "He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant" (1:48) | God sees people who are low and overlooked. |
| "He has filled the hungry with good things" (1:53) | God cares for people who have nothing. This is part of how God runs things. |
Back Then
Being pledged was a formal promise to marry. Easton's calls it "a formal agreement" that put both people "under obligation for the purpose of marriage." The wedding often came much later. (Easton's Bible Dictionary, "Espouse") Ending a pledge was a serious step. Matthew says Joseph planned to "divorce her quietly" (Matthew 1:19).
Nazareth was not an important town. It is never named in the Old Testament. (Easton's Bible Dictionary) Years later, a man named Nathanael asked, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" (John 1:46).
Gabriel appears in the Old Testament too. He explained visions to the prophet Daniel (Daniel 8:16, 9:21).
Zechariah was a priest. He served at God's temple in Jerusalem. Elizabeth came from the family of Aaron, Israel's first priest (Luke 1:5).
Literal Reader Alert
Did Gabriel say "Nothing will be impossible with God"? Many older Bibles say "For with God nothing shall be impossible" (Luke 1:37, KJV). The BSB says "For no word from God will ever fail" (1:37). The Greek word can mean "word" or "thing." Both translations point to the same truth. God can do what he says, and he will.
How old was Mary? The Bible does not say. It calls her a virgin pledged to be married. That usually meant a young woman, so this story calls her one. But Luke does not give a number.
Were Mary and Elizabeth cousins? Some older Bibles say "cousin." The BSB says "relative." The Bible does not say exactly how they were related.
Did Mary say yes to earn God's favor? No. Gabriel told Mary she was favored before she said anything. God's gift came first. Her trust came after.
Why did the baby leap? Babies move before they are born. Elizabeth said this leap was "for joy" (1:44). Elizabeth understood it through the Holy Spirit.
How People Feel
| Who | Feeling | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mary | Troubled | An angel greeted her as highly favored, and she did not know why (1:29) |
| Mary | Confused | She was a virgin, so she did not see how she could have a baby (1:34) |
| Mary | Trusting | Gabriel told her God's word never fails (1:37-38) |
| Elizabeth | Amazed and honored | The mother of her Lord came to visit her (1:43) |
| Elizabeth's baby | Joyful | Elizabeth said he leaped for joy at Mary's voice (1:44) |
| Mary | Thankful and glad | God looked at her low place and did great things (1:47-49) |
For you
What does it mean for me?
Your Turn
Which part of Mary's story is closest to you? Tap one.
Troubled and unsure
Mary was troubled too. Gabriel told her, "Do not be afraid." All through the Bible, God tells his people the same thing.
I have questions
Mary asked, "How can this be?" God did not turn her away. Honest questions are welcome.
I don't feel important
God chose a young woman in a little-known town. God looks with favor on people the world overlooks.
Thankful right now
Mary sang when she was thankful. You can tell God thank you too, in your own words.
You Might Have Heard
"Mary said yes to God, so you should say yes to God too."
What's true: Mary trusted God, and her answer is beautiful. "I am the Lord's servant" (1:38).
What the story is mainly about: What God did. God chose Mary before she said a word. The Holy Spirit made the promise happen. Elizabeth praised Mary's trust, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit when she said it. Mary's own song is all about God, not about herself.
Where Jesus is: He is the baby Gabriel promised. He is the king from David's family, the Son of the Most High, whose kingdom will never end.
Good News
Mary did not think she was anyone special. God looked at her anyway. Mary sang, "He has looked with favor on the humble state of His servant" (1:48).
You do not have to be enough first. God comes to people in low places. God fills hungry people with good things. God looks at you with favor, and no word from God will ever fail.
From the Wider Church
Christians in many traditions love Mary. Catholic Christians pray the Hail Mary, which begins with words from this chapter (1:28, 1:42). Orthodox Christians call Mary Theotokos, which means "God-bearer." Lutherans also call Mary the mother of God. The Lutheran Confessions say this (Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article 8). It does not mean Mary is above God, or that she made God. It means the baby she carried is truly God's Son, and truly God. Elizabeth said something close to this when she called Mary "the mother of my Lord" (1:43). Many churches, including Lutheran churches, sing the Magnificat at evening prayer.
Big Idea
God looks with favor on the lowly, keeps his promises, and comes to us through Mary's son, Jesus.
If this story brings up big feelings, talk with someone you trust, like a parent, pastor, or counselor.
For leaders and parentsLuther, church readings, and notes for teaching.
From Luther
In 1521, Martin Luther wrote a book about Mary's song, called The Magnificat. He wrote it for a young prince, John Frederick of Saxony. Luther used a picture. He said God's eyes look into the depths. He meant God looks at people who are low and overlooked, and lifts them up. He said the great thing God did for Mary was to make her the mother of God. But Mary does not boast about herself. She praises God's kind look at someone lowly. Luther taught the right way to honor Mary. First, see her low place. Then marvel at God's grace to her.
In Church
Many churches follow the Revised Common Lectionary. Luke 1:26-38 is read on the Fourth Sunday of Advent in Year B. It is paired with God's promise to David (2 Samuel 7). Luke 1:39-45 is read on the Fourth Sunday of Advent in Year C. Mary's song (1:46-55) may be sung in place of a psalm on those two Sundays. It may also be sung on the Third Sunday of Advent in Year B. Many Lutheran calendars also remember the Annunciation on March 25 and the Visitation on May 31.
We quote Luther for what he got right about grace. He also wrote terrible things about Jewish people. Read our note on that.
Memorize
How do I keep it?
One line from this story to learn by heart. Practice a little now. It will come back later so it sticks.
For no word from God will ever fail.
How did that feel?