⁸ Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,^{(A) 9} he was chosen by lot,^(B) according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.^{(C) 10} And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.^(D)

¹¹ Then an angel^(E) of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.^{(F) 12} When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.^{(G) 13} But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid,^(H) Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.^(I)

¹⁸ Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?^(A) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”^(B)

¹⁹ The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.^(C) I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ And now you will be silent and not able to speak^(D) until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

²¹ Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. ²² When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs^(E) to them but remained unable to speak.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(F) among the people.”