Luke 1:57-66

New Testament for Everyone

Zechariah’s song of praise

⁵⁷ The time arrived for Elizabeth’s child to be born, and she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had increased his mercy to her, and they came to celebrate with her.

⁵⁹ Now on the eighth day, when they came to circumcise the child, they were calling him by his father’s name, Zechariah. ⁶⁰ But his mother spoke up.

“No,” she said, “he is to be called John.”

⁶¹ “None of your relatives,” they objected, “is called by that name.”

⁶² They made signs to his father, to ask what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote on it, “His name is John.”

Everyone was astonished. ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth and his tongue were unfastened, and he spoke, praising God. ⁶⁵ Fear came over all those who lived in the neighborhood, and people spoke of all these things throughout all the hill country of Judaea. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard about it turned the matter over in their hearts.

“What then will this child become?” they said. And the Lord’s hand was with him.