Luke 1:13-21

English Standard Version

¹³ But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for ^(A)your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and ^(B)you shall call his name John. ¹⁴ And you will have joy and gladness, and many will ^(C)rejoice at his birth, ¹⁵ for he will be ^(D)great before the Lord. And ^(E)he must not drink wine or strong ^(F)drink, and ^(G)he will be ^(H)filled with the Holy Spirit, ^(I)even from his mother's womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, ¹⁷ and ^(J)he will go before him ^(K)in the spirit and power of Elijah, ^(L)to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and ^(M)the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, ^(N)to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

¹⁸ And Zechariah said to the angel, ^(O)“How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” ¹⁹ And the angel answered him, “I am ^(P)Gabriel. ^(Q)I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, ^(R)you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” ²¹ And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in ^(S)the temple.