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The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold

When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.

One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.

11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.[a] 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,[b] and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

18 Zechariah said to the angel, “How can I be sure this will happen? I’m an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years.”

19 Then the angel said, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn’t speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.

23 When Zechariah’s week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

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Footnotes

  1. 1:15 Or even from birth.
  2. 1:17 See Mal 4:5-6.

There was ginomai in en the ho days hēmera of Herod hērōdēs, king basileus of ho Judah Ioudaia, a certain tis priest hiereus by the name onoma of Zechariah Zacharias, of ek the priestly division ephēmeria of Abijah Abia; and kai his autos wife gynē was from ek the ho daughters thugatēr of Aaron Aarōn, and kai · ho her autos name onoma was Elizabeth Elisabet. And de they were eimi both amphoteroi righteous dikaios before enantion · ho God theos, walking poreuō blamelessly amemptos in en all pas the ho commandments entolē and kai ordinances dikaiōma of the ho Lord kyrios. But kai they autos did not ou have eimi a child teknon, because kathoti Elizabeth Elisabet was eimi · ho barren steira, and kai both amphoteroi of them autos were eimi advanced probainō in en · ho years hēmera.

Now de it happened ginomai, while en · ho he autos was serving hierateuō as priest before enanti God theos when en · ho his autos priestly division ephēmeria was on duty taxis, · ho · ho that according kata to the ho custom ethos of the ho priesthood hierateia, he was chosen lanchanō by lot to ho go eiserchomai into eis the ho temple naos of the ho Lord kyrios and burn incense thumiaō, 10 and kai the ho whole pas crowd plēthos of ho people laos was eimi there, praying proseuchomai outside exō at the ho hour hōra of ho incense thumiama. 11 And de an angel angelos of kyrios the Lord kyrios appeared horaō to him autos, standing histēmi at ek the right dexios side of the ho altar thusiastērion of ho incense thumiama. 12 · kai Zechariah Zacharias was troubled tarassō when he saw him and kai fear phobos fell epipiptō upon epi him autos. 13 But de the ho angel angelos said legō to pros him autos: “ Do not fear phobeomai, Zechariah Zacharias, because dioti your sy prayer deēsis has been heard eisakouō, · ho and kai · ho your sy wife gynē Elizabeth Elisabet will bear gennaō you sy a son hyios, and kai you will call kaleō · ho his autos name onoma John Iōannēs. 14 And kai for you sy there will be eimi joy chara and kai gladness agalliasis, and kai many polys will rejoice chairō because epi of · ho his autos birth genesis, 15 for gar he will be eimi great megas before enōpion the ho Lord kyrios. And kai he must pinō not ou drink pinō wine oinos and kai strong sikera drink , and kai he will be filled with pimplēmi the Holy hagios Spirit pneuma, even eti from ek his autos mother’ s mētēr womb koilia. 16 and kai he will restore epistrephō many polys of the ho sons hyios of Israel Israēl to epi the Lord kyrios · ho their autos God theos. 17 · kai He autos will go proerchomai on before enōpion him autos, in en the spirit pneuma and kai power dynamis of Elijah ēlias, to turn epistrephō the hearts kardia of fathers patēr toward epi their children teknon, and kai the disobedient apeithēs to en the wisdom phronēsis of the righteous dikaios, in order to establish hetoimazō for the Lord kyrios a people laos who are prepared kataskeuazō for him.”

18 But kai Zechariah Zacharias said legō to pros the ho angel angelos, “ How kata tis can I be sure ginōskō of this houtos? For gar I egō am eimi an old presbytēs man and kai · ho my egō wife gynē is advanced probainō in en · ho years hēmera?” 19 And kai the ho angel angelos answered apokrinomai, saying legō to him autos, “ I egō am eimi Gabriel Gabriēl, who ho stands paristēmi in the presence enōpion of ho God theos, and kai I was sent apostellō to speak laleō to pros you sy, and kai to tell euangelizō you sy the good news of these houtos things . 20 And kai now idou you will be eimi reduced to silence siōpaō and kai not be able dynamai to speak laleō until achri the hos day hēmera in which these things houtos happen ginomai, because anti hos you did not ou believe pisteuō · ho my egō words logos, which hostis will be fulfilled plēroō in eis · ho their autos time kairos.”

21 And kai the ho people laos were eimi waiting prosdokaō for · ho Zechariah Zacharias, and kai they began to wonder thaumazō why en · ho he autos stayed chronizō so long in en the ho temple naos. 22 When he came exerchomai out , · de he was not ou able dynamai to speak laleō to them autos; and kai they realized epiginōskō that hoti he had seen horaō a vision optasia in en the ho temple naos · kai ( he autos kept eimi gesturing dianeuō to them autos and kai remained diamenō mute kōphos). 23 · kai When hōs the ho days hēmera of ho his autos priestly service leitourgia were over pimplēmi, he went aperchomai to eis · ho his autos home oikos.

24 After meta · de these houtos · ho days hēmera, Elizabeth Elisabet his autos wife gynē became pregnant syllambanō, · ho and kai she kept perikrybō herself heautou in seclusion for five pente months mēn, saying legō, 25  Thus houtōs the Lord kyrios has done poieō for me egō in en the days hēmera in which hos he looked with favor to take aphaireō away my egō reproach oneidos among en people anthrōpos.”

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