Study Desk

The army officer who was standing there in front of the cross saw how Jesus had died. "This man was really the Son of God!" he said.

It was toward evening when Joseph of Arimathea arrived. He was a respected member of the Council, who was waiting for the coming of the Kingdom of God. It was Preparation day (that is, the day before the Sabbath), so Joseph went boldly into the presence of Pilate and asked him for the body of Jesus.

After the Lord Jesus had talked with them, he was taken up to heaven and sat at the right side of God.

But the angel said to him, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son. You are to name him John.

and he will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.

"I am Gabriel," the angel answered. "I stand in the presence of God, who sent me to speak to you and tell you this good news.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth.

The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was,

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and God's power will rest upon you. For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God.

For there is nothing that God cannot do."

my soul is glad because of God my Savior,

because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me. His name is holy;

At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God.

"Let us praise the Lord, the God of Israel! He has come to the help of his people and has set them free.

"You, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High God. You will go ahead of the Lord to prepare his road for him,

Our God is merciful and tender. He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us

Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God:

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!"

The shepherds went back, singing praises to God for all they had heard and seen; it had been just as the angel had told them.