15^d He had scarcely finished speaking when Rebekah—who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Abraham’s brother Nahor—came out with a jug on her shoulder. 16The young woman was very beautiful, a virgin, untouched by man. She went down to the spring and filled her jug. As she came up, 17the servant ran toward her and said, “Please give me a sip of water from your jug.” 18“Drink, sir,” she replied, and quickly lowering the jug into her hand, she gave him a drink. 19When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw water for your camels, too, until they have finished drinking.” 20With that, she quickly emptied her jug into the drinking trough and ran back to the well to draw more water, until she had drawn enough for all the camels. 21The man watched her the whole time, silently waiting to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful. 22When the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose-ring weighing half a shekel, and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels for her wrists. 23Then he asked her: “Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please. And is there a place in your father’s house for us to spend the night?” 24She answered: “I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor. 25We have plenty of straw and fodder,” she added, “and also a place to spend the night.” 26The man then knelt and bowed down to the LORD, 27saying: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not let his kindness and fidelity toward my master fail. As for me, the LORD has led me straight to the house of my master’s brother.”

10Who can find^* a woman of worth?^a

Far beyond jewels is her value.

11Her husband trusts her judgment;

he does not lack income.

12She brings him profit, not loss,^*

all the days of her life.

13She seeks out wool and flax

and weaves with skillful hands.

14Like a merchant fleet,^*

she secures her provisions from afar.

15She rises while it is still night,

and distributes food to her household,

a portion to her maidservants.

16She picks out a field and acquires it;

from her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17She girds herself with strength;

she exerts her arms with vigor.^*

18She enjoys the profit from her dealings;

her lamp is never extinguished at night.^*

19She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her fingers ply the spindle.^*

20She reaches out her hands to the poor,

and extends her arms to the needy.

21She is not concerned for her household when it snows—

all her charges are doubly clothed.

22She makes her own coverlets;

fine linen and purple are her clothing.

23Her husband is prominent at the city gates

as he sits with the elders of the land.^*

24She makes garments and sells them,

and stocks the merchants with belts.

25She is clothed with strength and dignity,

and laughs at the days to come.^*

26She opens her mouth in wisdom;

kindly instruction is on her tongue.

“Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion,

a cornerstone, chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in it shall not be put to shame.”^e

7Therefore, its value is for you who have faith, but for those without faith:

“The stone which the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,”^f

8and

“A stone that will make people stumble,

and a rock that will make them fall.”

They stumble by disobeying the word, as is their destiny.^g

9^* But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises” of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.^h

10Once you were “no people”

but now you are God’s people;

you “had not received mercy”

but now you have received mercy.ⁱ

Mary Visits Elizabeth. 39During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, 40where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the holy Spirit,^s 42cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.^t 43And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord^* should come to me? 44For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed are you who believed^* that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”^u

The Canticle of Mary. 46^v And Mary said:^*

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;^w

47my spirit rejoices in God my savior.^x

48For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness;

behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed.^y

49The Mighty One has done great things for me,

and holy is his name.^z

50His mercy is from age to age

to those who fear him.^a

51He has shown might with his arm,

dispersed the arrogant of mind and heart.^b

52He has thrown down the rulers from their thrones

but lifted up the lowly.^c

53The hungry he has filled with good things;

the rich he has sent away empty.^d

54He has helped Israel his servant,

remembering his mercy,^e

55according to his promise to our fathers,

to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”^f

56Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home.