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.

²³ When his time of service was completed, he returned home. ²⁴ After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. ²⁵ “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace^(W) among the people.”

⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel^(A) of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.^(B) I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior^(C) has been born to you; he is the Messiah,^(D) the Lord.^{(E) 12} This will be a sign^(F) to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.^{(H) 17} When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.^{(I) 20} The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God^(J) for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.