Thematic Bible: The wife of zacharias and the mother of john the baptist


Thematic Bible



In the time of Herod, the king of Jewry, there was a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron: And her name was Elizabeth. Both were perfect before God, and walked in all the laws and ordinances of the Lord, that no man could find fault with them. And they had no child, because that Elizabeth was barren; And both were well stricken in age. read more.
And it came to pass, as he executed the priest's office before God as his course came, according to the custom of the priest's office his lot was to burn incense. And he went into the temple of the Lord, and the whole multitude of the people were without, in their prayers, while the incense was a burning. And there appeared unto him, an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw him, he was abashed, and fear came on him. And the angel said unto him, "Fear not Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard: And thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John: And thou shalt have joy and gladness: And many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall neither drink wine nor strong drink. And he shall be filled with the holy ghost, even in his mother's womb: and many of the children of Israel shall he turn to their Lord God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the unbelievers to the wisdom of the just men: to make the people ready for the Lord." And Zacharias said unto the angel, "Whereby shall I know this? Seeing that I am old, and my wife well stricken in years." And the angel answered, and said unto him, "I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of God, and am sent to speak unto thee: and to show thee these glad tidings. And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak until the time that these things be performed, because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season." And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he tarried in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak unto them. Whereby they perceived, that he had seen some vision in the temple. And he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. And it fortuned, as soon as the time of his office was out, he departed home into his own house. And after those days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, "This wise hath God dealt with me, in the days when he looked on me, to take from me the rebuke that I suffered among men." And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man, whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel went in unto her, and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." When she saw him, she was abashed at his saying: and cast in her mind what manner of salutation that should be. And the angel said unto her, "Fear not Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. Lo: thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest. And the Lord God shall give unto him the seat of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom shall be none end." Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" And the angel answered, and said unto her, "The holy ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born, shall be called the son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age. And this is her sixth month, though she be called barren, for with God can nothing be impossible." And Mary said, "Behold the handmaiden of the Lord, be it unto me even as thou hast said." And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in those days, and went into the mountains with haste into a city of Jewry, and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth: And it fortuned, as Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe sprang in her belly. And Elizabeth was filled with the holy ghost, and cried with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed art thou among the women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence happeneth this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe sprang in my belly for joy. And blessed art thou that believedst: For those things shall be performed which were told thee from the Lord." And Mary said, "My soul magnifieth the Lord. And my spirit rejoiceth in God my saviour: For he hath looked on the poor degree of his handmaiden. Behold, now from henceforth shall all generations call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name. And his mercy is always on them that fear him, throughout all generations. He showeth strength with his arm, he scattereth them that are proud in the imagination of their hearts. He putteth Down the mighty from their seats, and hath exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things: And sendeth away the rich empty. He remembereth mercy: and helpeth his servant Israel. Even as he promised to our fathers, Abraham and to his seed forever." And Mary abode with her about a three months; And returned again to her own house. Elizabeth's time was come that she should be delivered; And she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her cousins heard tell, how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her. And it fortuned, the eighth day they came to circumcise the child: and called his name Zacharias after the name of his father, Howbeit, his mother answered, and said, "Not so, but he shall be called John."