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just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word.
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The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.
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But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
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Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
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When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear.
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But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
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for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.
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He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God.
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Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
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The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
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And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”
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The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
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You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.
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He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
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Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month.
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In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear!
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Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
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for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name.
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His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.
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He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
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He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful
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On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah,
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but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”
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They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”
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He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.”
