The Solemnity of Annunciation of the Lord

The Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, "Ask a sign of the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above."

But Ahaz said, "I won't ask. I won't tempt the Lord."

He said, "Listen now, house of David. Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin will conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Take counsel together, and it will be brought to nothing; speak the word, and it will not stand, for God is with us."

Then I said, "Behold, I have come. It is written about me in the book in the scroll. I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart."

I delight to do your will, my God. Yes, your law is within my heart." I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the great assembly. Behold, I will not seal my lips, Lord, you know.

I have not hidden your righteousness within my heart. I have declared your faithfulness and your salvation. I have not concealed your loving kindness and your truth from the great assembly.

Don't withhold your tender mercies from me, Lord. Let your loving kindness and your truth continually preserve me.

For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, "You didn't desire sacrifice and offering, But you prepared a body for me. You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin. Then I said, 'Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) To do your will, O God.'"

Previously saying, "Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you didn't desire, neither had pleasure in them" (those which are offered according to the law), Then he has said, "Behold, I have come to do your will." He takes away the first, that he may establish the second, By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Now in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, To a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph, of David's house. The virgin's name was Mary. Having come in, the angel said to her, "Rejoice, you highly favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women!"

But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. The angel said to her, "Don't be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and give birth to a son, and shall name him 'Jesus.' He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom."

Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?"

The angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Son of God. Behold, Elizabeth your relative also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing spoken by God is impossible."

Mary said, "Behold, the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word."

Then the angel departed from her.