Luke 1:8-22
Contemporary English Version
8 One day Zechariah's group of priests were on duty, and he was serving God as a priest. 9 According to the custom of the priests, he had been chosen to go into the Lord's temple that day and to burn incense,[a] 10 while the people stood outside praying.
11 All at once an angel from the Lord appeared to Zechariah at the right side of the altar. 12 Zechariah was confused and afraid when he saw the angel. 13 But the angel told him:
Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayers. Your wife Elizabeth will have a son, and you must name him John. 14 His birth will make you very happy, and many people will be glad. 15 (A) Your son will be a great servant of the Lord. He must never drink wine or beer, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be with him from the time he is born.
16 John will lead many people in Israel to turn back to the Lord their God. 17 (B) He will go ahead of the Lord with the same power and spirit that Elijah[b] had. And because of John, parents will be more thoughtful of their children. And people who now disobey God will begin to think as they ought to. This is how John will get people ready for the Lord.
18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How will I know this is going to happen? My wife and I are both very old.”
19 (C) The angel answered, “I am Gabriel, God's servant, and I was sent to tell you this good news. 20 You have not believed what I have said. So you will not be able to say a thing until all this happens. But everything will take place when it is supposed to.”
21 The crowd was waiting for Zechariah and kept wondering why he was staying in the temple so long. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak, and they knew he had seen a vision. He motioned to them with his hands, but did not say a thing.
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Luke 1:8-22
New International Version
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) 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,(J) 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink,(K) and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit(L) even before he is born.(M) 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord,(N) in the spirit and power of Elijah,(O) to turn the hearts of the parents to their children(P) and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”(Q)
18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?(R) I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”(S)
19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.(T) 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(U) 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(V) to them but remained unable to speak.
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