John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias

⁵ There was ^(A)in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, ^(B)of the division of ^(C)Abijah. His ^(D)wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^(A)you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and ^(B)many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be ^(C)great in the sight of the Lord, and ^(D)shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(E)even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ^17 (F)He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

²⁴ Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, ²⁵ “Thus the Lord has dealt with me, in the days when He looked on me, to ^(A)take away my reproach among people.”

Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. ⁵⁸ When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they ^(A)rejoiced with her.