Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁵⁷ The time had now come for Elizabeth's child to be born. She had a son.

⁵⁸ When her neighbours and family heard that the Lord had been so kind to her, they were glad, too.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day people came to circumcise [make a special mark on] the child. They were going to name him Zechariah like his father.

⁶⁰ But his mother said, `No, his name is to be John.'

⁶¹ They said to her, `But no one in your family has that name.'

⁶² They made signs to the father to find out what name he wanted the child to have.

⁶³ He asked for something to write on. He wrote, `His name is John.' They were all surprised.

⁶⁴ Right then he opened his mouth and his tongue was free. He began to speak and to praise God.

⁶⁵ Everyone who lived around there began to wonder at these things. And everywhere in the hill country of Judea, all these things were talked about.

⁶⁶ All those who heard them thought much about them. They said, `What will this child be some day?' They said this because the power of the Lord was with him.