In the days of Herod, king of Judaea, there was a certain priest, by name Zacharias, of the order of Abijah; and he had a wife of the family of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Now it happened that when Zacharias' turn came in his division,

And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear came on him.

But the angel said, Have no fear, Zacharias, for your prayer has come to the ears of God, and your wife Elisabeth will have a son, and his name will be John.

And Zacharias said to the angel, How may I be certain of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is far on in years.

And the people were waiting for Zacharias and were surprised because he was in the Temple for such a long time.

And went into the house of Zacharias and took Elisabeth in her arms.

And on the eighth day they came to see to the circumcision of the child, and they would have given him the name of Zacharias, his father's name;

Then Zacharias asked for a writing tablet and wrote [the words] "His name is John." And they were all amazed.

And his father, Zacharias, was full of the Holy Spirit, and with the voice of a prophet said these words:

When Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of the Lord came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the waste land.

From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.