John the Baptist Is Born
57 Now the time was fulfilled for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had amagnified His great mercy toward her, and they were rejoicing with her.
59 And it happened that on athe eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zechariah, after the name of his father. 60 But his mother answered and said, “No, but ahe shall be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 And they awere making signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63 And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “aHis name is John.” And they all marveled. 64 aAnd at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God. 65 And fear came on all those living around them, and all these matters were being talked about in all athe hill country of Judea. 66 And all who heard these things put them in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” For athe hand of the Lord was indeed with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 And his father Zechariah awas filled with the Holy Spirit, and bprophesied, saying:
68 “aBlessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He visited and accomplished bredemption for His people,
69 And raised up a ahorn of salvation for us
In the house of David bHis servant—
70 aAs He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets bfrom of old—
71 aSalvation bfrom our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us,
72 aTo show mercy toward our fathers,
bAnd to remember His holy covenant,
73 aThe oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 aIn holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
76 And you, child, will be called the aprophet of bthe Most High,
For you will go on cbefore the Lord to dmake ready His ways,
77 To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By athe forgiveness of their sins,
78 Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which athe Sunrise from on high will visit us,
79 aTo shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To direct our feet into the bway of peace.”
80 aAnd the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the desolate regions until the day of his public appearance to Israel.