Luke 1:5-25 - The Prediction Of John The Baptist's Birth

⁵ In the reign of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the Division called after Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was also a descendant of Aaron. ⁶ They were both righteous people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. ⁷ But they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of them were advanced in years.

⁸ One day, when Zechariah was officiating as priest before God, during the turn of his Division, ⁹ It fell to him by lot, in accordance with the practice among the priests, to go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense; ¹⁰ And, as it was the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside. ¹¹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right of the Altar of Incense. ¹² Zechariah was startled at the sight and was awe-struck. ¹³ But the angel said to him: " Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, whom you shall call by the name John. ¹⁴ He shall be to you a joy and a delight; and many shall rejoice over his birth. ¹⁵ For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord; he shall not drink any wine or strong drink, and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth, ¹⁶ And shall reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ He shall go before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, 'to reconcile fathers to their children' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him."

¹⁸ "How can I be sure of this?" Zechariah asked the angel. "For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."

¹⁹ "I am Gabriel," the angel answered, "who stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And now you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course."

²¹ Meanwhile the people were watching for Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple. ²² When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb. ²³ And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home.

²⁴ After this his wife, Elizabeth, expecting to become a mother, lived in seclusion for five months. ²⁵ "This is what the Lord has done for me," she said, "now that he has deigned to take away the reproach under which I have been living."