¹⁸ Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I know ·that what you say is true [^Lthis]? [^LFor] I am an old man, and my wife is old, too [Gen. 17:17].”

¹⁹ The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel [^Cone of two named angels in Scripture (the other is Michael); Dan. 8:16; 9:21; 10:10–14]. I stand before God, who sent me to talk to you and to tell you this good news. ²⁰ Now, ·listen [^Llook; ^Tbehold]! You will [^Lbe silent and] not be able to speak until the day these things happen, because you did not believe ·what I told you [^Lmy words]. ·But they will really happen [^L…which will be fulfilled at their appointed time].”