“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.”
But the angel said to her: do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God — the do not be afraid to Mary echoes the same reassurance to Zechariah (verse 13). You have found favor with God: the favor is not Mary's achievement but God's gracious initiative — she has found favor (heurēs charin) as Noah found favor (Genesis 6:8) and as Moses found favor. The favor is the ground for the announcement that follows, not a reward for virtue already demonstrated.
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