²⁵ Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even ^(A)sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them.

² “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘When either a man or woman ^[a]consecrates an offering to take the vow of a Nazirite, ^(A)to separate himself to the Lord, ^3 (B)he shall separate himself from wine and similar drink; he shall drink neither vinegar made from wine nor vinegar made from similar drink; neither shall he drink any grape juice, nor eat fresh grapes or raisins.

Israel Resists the Holy Spirit

⁵¹ “You ^(A)stiff-necked^[a] and ^(B)uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

²⁸ saying, ^(A)“Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, ^(B)and intend to bring this Man’s ^(C)blood on us!”

^18 (A)So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

³ it seemed good to me also, having ^[a]had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, ^(A)most excellent Theophilus, ^4 (B)that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.

John’s Birth Announced to Zacharias

⁵ There was ^(C)in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, ^(D)of the division of ^(E)Abijah. His ^(F)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.

⁸ So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, ⁹ according to the custom of the priesthood, ^[b]his lot fell ^(G)to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. ^10 (H)And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. ¹¹ Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on the right side of ^(I)the altar of incense. ¹² And when Zacharias saw him, ^(J)he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

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 ^(K)you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and ^(L)many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ For he will be ^(M)great in the sight of the Lord, and ^(N)shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(O)even from his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ^17 (P)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.”

³⁴ Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. ^35 (A)And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. ³⁶ Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. ³⁷ Then last of all he sent his ^(B)son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ^(C)‘This is the heir. ^(D)Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’