³⁹A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town ⁴⁰where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴²Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. ⁴³Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? ⁴⁴When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. ⁴⁵You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” ⁴⁶Mary responded,“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. ⁴⁷How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! ⁴⁸For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,and from now on all generations will call me blessed. ⁴⁹For the Mighty One is holy,and he has done great things for me. ⁵⁰He shows mercy from generation to generationto all who fear him. ⁵¹His mighty arm has done tremendous things!He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. ⁵²He has brought down princes from their thronesand exalted the humble. ⁵³He has filled the hungry with good thingsand sent the rich away with empty hands. ⁵⁴He has helped his servant Israeland remembered to be merciful. ⁵⁵For he made this promise to our ancestors,to Abraham and his children forever.” ⁵⁶Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.