Luke 1:57-66

The Voice

⁵⁷ When the time was right, Elizabeth gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ News about the Lord’s special kindness to her had spread through her extended family and the community. Everyone shared her joy, for after all these years of infertility, she had a son! ⁵⁹ As was customary, eight days after the baby’s birth the time came for his circumcision and naming. Everyone assumed he would be named Zacharias, like his father.

⁶² They turned to Zacharias and asked him what he wanted the baby’s name to be.

⁶³ He motioned for a tablet, and he wrote, “His name is John.” Everyone was shocked by this breach of family custom. ⁶⁴ They were even more surprised when, at that moment, Zacharias was able to talk again, and he shouted out praises to God. ⁶⁵ A sense of reverence spread through the whole community. In fact, this story was spread throughout the hilly countryside of Judea. ⁶⁶ People were certain that God’s hand was on this child, and they wondered what sort of person John would turn out to be when he became a man.