3 Hail, Mary! Virgin of the
Lord most acceptable! O Virgin
full of grace! The Lord is with
you. You are blessed above all
women, and you are blessed above
all men, that have been hitherto
born.

4 But the Virgin, who had
before been well acquainted with
the countenances of angels, and
to whom such light from heaven
was no uncommon thing,

5 Was neither terrified with the
vision of the angel, nor astonished
at the greatness of the light, but
only troubled about the angel's
words,

6 And began to consider what
so extraordinary a salutation should
mean, what it did portend, or what
sort of end it would have.

7 To this thought the angel,
divinely inspired, replies;

8 Fear not, Mary, as though
I intended anything inconsistent
with your chastity in this salutation:

9 For you have found favour
with the Lord, because you made
virginity your choice.

10 Therefore while you are a
Virgin, you shall conceive without
sin, and bring forth a son.

11 He shall be great, because
he shall reign from sea to sea, and
from the rivers even to the ends of
the earth?

12 And he shall be called the
Son of the Highest; for he who is
born in a mean state on earth,
reigns in an exalted one in heaven.

13 And the Lord shall give him
the throne of his father David, and
he shall reign over the house of
Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom
there shall be no end.

14 For he is the King of Kings,
and Lord of Lords, and his throne
is forever and ever.

15 To this discourse of the
angel the Virgin replied, not, as
though she were unbelieving, but
willing to know the manner of it.

16 She said, How can that be?
For seeing, according to my vow,
I have never known any man, how
can I bear a child without the
addition of a man's seed.

17 To this the angel replied
and said, Think not, Mary, that
you shall conceive in the ordinary
way.

18 For, without lying with a
man, while a Virgin, you shall
conceive; while a Virgin, you
shall bring forth; and while a
Virgin shall give suck.

19 For the Holy Ghost shall
come upon you, and the power of
the Most High shall overshadow
you, without any of the heats of
lust.

20 So that which shall be born
of you shall be only holy, because
it only is conceived without sin,
and being born, shall be called the
Son of God.

21 Then Mary stretching forth
her hands, and lifting her eyes to
heaven, said, Behold the handmaid
of the Lord! Let it be unto